Tennis at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's singles

The United States' Andre Agassi defeated Spain's Sergi Bruguera in the final, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 to win the gold medal in Men's Singles tennis at the 1996 Summer Olympics. The victory gave Agassi the fourth of five components of the career Golden Slam; his later win at the French Open made him the first man to complete the career Golden Slam in singles. It was the United States' first gold medal in the event since 1924 and its third overall, equaling Great Britain's record. It was Spain's second consecutive silver medal. In the bronze medal match, India's Leander Paes defeated Brazil's Fernando Meligeni, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4. It was India's first Olympic tennis medal.

Men's singles
Tennis at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Final
Champion	Andre Agassi (USA)
Runner-up	Sergi Bruguera (ESP)
Score	6–2, 6–3, 6–1
Events
Singles men women Doubles men women
← 1992 · Summer Olympics · 2000 →

Men's singles tennis at the Games of the XXVI Olympiad
Andre Agassi (2011)
Venue	Stone Mountain Tennis Center, Atlanta
Dates	23 July–3 August 1996
Competitors	64 from 36 nations
Medalists
Andre Agassi  United States Sergi Bruguera  Spain Leander Paes  India
← 1992 2000 →

Main article: Tennis at the 1996 Summer Olympics

The tournament was held at the Stone Mountain Tennis Center in Atlanta, Georgia, of the United States of America. There were 64 competitors from 36 nations.^[1] Nations had been limited to three players each since the return of tennis to the Olympic program in 1988.

Switzerland's Marc Rosset was the reigning gold medalist from 1992, but he retired from his third round match against Renzo Furlan.

Background

This was the 10th (medal) appearance of the men's singles tennis event. The event has been held at every Summer Olympics where tennis has been on the program: from 1896 to 1924 and then from 1988 to the current program. Demonstration events were held in 1968 and 1984.

The number one seed was Andre Agassi of the United States.^[1] Two of the eight quarterfinalists from the 1992 tournament returned: gold medalist Marc Rosset of Switzerland and bronze medalist Goran Ivanišević of Croatia.

Armenia, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Slovakia, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela each made their debut in the event. France made its ninth appearance, most among all nations, having missed only the 1904 event.

Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament, but with some significant changes from 1988 and 1992. A bronze medal match was held, unlike the previous two Games. Matches before the final were reduced to best-of-three sets instead of best-of-five sets. The 12-point tie-breaker continued be used in any set, except the third (or the fifth in the final), that reached 6–6.

Schedule

All times are Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4)

Date	Time	Round
Tuesday, 23 July 1996 Wednesday, 24 July 1996		Round of 64
Thursday, 25 July 1996 Friday, 26 July 1996		Round of 32
Saturday, 27 July 1996 Sunday, 28 July 1996		Round of 16
Tuesday, 30 July 1996		Quarterfinals
Thursday, 1 August 1996	11:00 13:00	Semifinals
Saturday, 3 August 1996	11:00 13:00	Bronze medal match Final

Seeds

1.   Andre Agassi (USA) (champion)
2.   Goran Ivanišević (CRO) (first round)
3.   Thomas Enqvist (SWE) (third round)
4.   MaliVai Washington (USA) (quarterfinals)
5.   Wayne Ferreira (RSA) (quarterfinals)
6.   Albert Costa (ESP) (second round)
7.   Arnaud Boetsch (FRA) (second round)
8.   Marc Rosset (SUI) (third round)
9.   Jan Siemerink (NED) (first round)
10.   Jason Stoltenberg (AUS) (second round)
11.   Richey Reneberg (USA) (first round)
12.   Paul Haarhuis (NED) (first round)
13.   Magnus Gustafsson (SWE) (second round)
14.   Renzo Furlan (ITA) (quarterfinals)
15.   Carlos Costa (ESP) (first round)
16.   Daniel Vacek (CZE) (second round)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• SE = Special exempt
• PR = Protected ranking
• ITF = ITF entry
• JE = Junior exempt
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted
• SR = Special ranking

Finals

	Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final (gold medal match)
	1	Andre Agassi (USA)	7	4	7
	5	Wayne Ferreira (RSA)	5	6	5
								1	Andre Agassi (USA)	7^7	6
								WC	Leander Paes (IND)	6^5	3
	WC	Leander Paes (IND)	6	7
	14	Renzo Furlan (ITA)	1	5
															1	Andre Agassi (USA)	6	6	6
																Sergi Bruguera (ESP)	2	3	1
		Sergi Bruguera (ESP)	7^10	4	7
	4	MaliVai Washington (USA)	6^8	6	5
									Sergi Bruguera (ESP)	7^11	6				Bronze medal match
								Alt	Fernando Meligeni (BRA)	6^9	2
	Alt	Fernando Meligeni (BRA)	6^5	7	6										WC	Leander Paes (IND)	3	6	6
	WC	Andrei Olhovskiy (RUS)	7^7	5	3										Alt	Fernando Meligeni (BRA)	6	2	4

Top half

Section 1

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
	1	A Agassi (USA)	7^8	7^7
		J Björkman (SWE)	6^6	6^5				1	A Agassi (USA)	6	6
		K Kučera (SVK)	6	2	6				K Kučera (SVK)	4	4
	WC	D Tomashevich (UZB)	3	6	0										1	A Agassi (USA)	2	6	6
	WC	D Pescariu (ROM)	2	2												A Gaudenzi (ITA)	6	4	2
	Alt	O Ortiz (MEX)	6	6				Alt	O Ortiz (MEX)	1	6^5
		A Gaudenzi (ITA)	6	6					A Gaudenzi (ITA)	6	7^7
	15	C Costa (ESP)	3	2																		1	A Agassi (USA)	7	4	7
	9	J Siemerink (NED)	2	4																		5	W Ferreira (RSA)	5	6	5
		T Woodbridge (AUS)	6	6					T Woodbridge (AUS)	7^8	7^7
		S Matsuoka (JPN)	6^4	3					T Henman (GBR)	6^6	6^5
		T Henman (GBR)	7^7	6												T Woodbridge (AUS)	6^3	6^5
		B Black (ZIM)	6	3	6										5	W Ferreira (RSA)	7^7	7^7
	Alt	G Raoux (FRA)	3	6	2				B Black (ZIM)	2	5
	WC	G Etlis (ARG)	4	3				5	W Ferreira (RSA)	6	7
	5	W Ferreira (RSA)	6	6

Section 2

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
	3	T Enqvist (SWE)	7^7	4	6
	Alt	M-K Goellner (GER)	6^4	6	4			3	T Enqvist (SWE)	4	7^7	6
	WC	S Sargsian (ARM)	6	6				WC	S Sargsian (ARM)	6	6^2	4
	WC	D Nestor (CAN)	4	4											3	T Enqvist (SWE)	5	6^3
	Alt	N Pereira (VEN)	6	6											WC	L Paes (IND)	7	7^7
		H Gumy (ARG)	4	0				Alt	N Pereira (VEN)	2	3
	WC	L Paes (IND)	6^2	7^9	1			WC	L Paes (IND)	6	6
	11/Alt	R Reneberg (USA)	7^7	6^7	0r																	WC	L Paes (IND)	6	7
	14	R Furlan (ITA)	4	6	6																	14	R Furlan (ITA)	1	5
		J Novák (CZE)	6	4	3			14	R Furlan (ITA)	7	6
	WC	L Morejón (ECU)	7^7	5	1			Alt	M Filippini (URU)	5	2
	Alt	M Filippini (URU)	6^3	7	6										14	R Furlan (ITA)	6	4
	Alt	F Fetterlein (DEN)	6	4	8										8	M Rosset (SUI)	0	2	r
		J Eltingh (NED)	4	6	6			Alt	F Fetterlein (DEN)	6^5	5
	WC	H Arazi (MAR)	2	3				8	M Rosset (SUI)	7^7	7
	8	M Rosset (SUI)	6	6

Bottom half

Section 3

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
	7	A Boetsch (FRA)	6	7^7
		B Steven (NZL)	2	6^2				7	A Boetsch (FRA)	6^7	6	2
	WC	A Pavel (ROM)	6	1	6				S Bruguera (ESP)	7^9	4	6
		S Bruguera (ESP)	2	6	8											S Bruguera (ESP)	7^9	6
		J Frana (ARG)	6	5	3											G Rusedski (GBR)	6^7	3
		G Rusedski (GBR)	4	7	6				G Rusedski (GBR)	6^4	7^7	6
	WC	R Agénor (HAI)	2	4				13	M Gustafsson (SWE)	7^7	6^3	3
	13	M Gustafsson (SWE)	6	6																			S Bruguera (ESP)	7^10	4	7
	10	J Stoltenberg (AUS)	7^7	6																		4	M Washington (USA)	6^8	6	5
	WC	S Ladipo (NGR)	6^4	3				10	J Stoltenberg (AUS)	2	6	3
		K Carlsen (DEN)	7	6					K Carlsen (DEN)	6	3	6
	Alt	M Knowles (BAH)	5	3												K Carlsen (DEN)	7^10	0	2
	Alt	S Noszály (HUN)	5	6^6											4	M Washington (USA)	6^8	6	6
	Alt	O Ogorodov (UZB)	7	7^8				Alt	O Ogorodov (UZB)	3	4
	Alt	J Krošlák (SVK)	3	6^3				4	M Washington (USA)	6	6
	4	M Washington (USA)	6	7^7

Section 4

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
	6	A Costa (ESP)	7^13	6
	WC	S Lareau (CAN)	6^11	4				6	A Costa (ESP)	6^5	4
	Alt	F Meligeni (BRA)	6	6				Alt	F Meligeni (BRA)	7^7	6
		S Pescosolido (ITA)	4	2											Alt	F Meligeni (BRA)	7^9	4	8
	WC	W Black (ZIM)	6^4	6	6											M Philippoussis (AUS)	6^7	6	6
	WC	J Szymanski (VEN)	7^7	4	3			WC	W Black (ZIM)	4	2
		M Philippoussis (AUS)	7^7	7^7					M Philippoussis (AUS)	6	6
	12	P Haarhuis (NED)	6^4	6^2																		Alt	F Meligeni (BRA)	6^5	7	6
	16	D Vacek (CZE)	6	2	6																	WC	A Olhovskiy (RUS)	7^7	5	3
		D Prinosil (GER)	4	6	4			16	D Vacek (CZE)	3	6^1
	Alt	N Lapentti (ECU)	1	6	6			WC	A Olhovskiy (RUS)	6	7^7
	WC	A Olhovskiy (RUS)	6	3	8										WC	A Olhovskiy (RUS)	6	6
	WC	A Hernández (MEX)	3	6	6											C Ruud (NOR)	4	3
		C Ruud (NOR)	6	2	8				C Ruud (NOR)	7^8	7^7
	Alt	M Ondruska (RSA)	6	6				Alt	M Ondruska (RSA)	6^6	6^1
	2	G Ivanišević (CRO)	2	4

References

1. "Singles, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 December 2020.

• ITF Olympic Site