HistoryData
sports2004

Tennis at the 2004 Summer Olympics — Competitive event at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games

January 1, 2004

Chile won its first two Olympic gold medals in history through Nicolás Massú's victories in men's singles and doubles at Athens 2004.

Quick Facts

Year
2004
Category
sports

Key Facts

Players competed
172
Events held
4
Courts used
10
Surface type
Hardcourt
Chile gold medals
2 (first ever Olympic golds for Chile)
Ranking points
First Olympics to allocate world ranking points

By the Numbers

172
Players competed
4
Events held
10
Courts used
2
Chile gold medals

Location

Map of Athens, GreeceMap of Athens, GreeceAthens, Greece

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

The introduction of world ranking points for Olympic tennis in 2004 incentivized top-ranked players to compete, producing a stronger field than previous Games. This change made the tournament more attractive to elite professionals who had previously skipped it.

Event

Tennis at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics was contested across ten hardcourt surfaces at the Olympic Tennis Centre, with 172 players competing in four events. Nicolás Massú won both men's singles and doubles alongside Fernando González, while Justine Henin won women's singles and China's Li Ting and Sun Tiantian took women's doubles.

Consequence

Chile made history by claiming its first two Olympic gold medals through Massú and González. The allocation of ranking points raised the tournament's prestige permanently, and Martina Navratilova's debut at age 47 drew attention to the event's broadened participation.

Result

Nicolás Massú / Chile (men's singles & doubles gold); Justine Henin / Belgium (women's singles gold)

at Olympic Tennis Centre, Athens

Chile's first two Olympic gold medals in history; first Olympics to award world ranking points in tennis

Timeline Context

Timeline around 200420042001200220032005200620072004 AFC Asian Cup — football tournamentAthletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics — competition at the 2004 Summer OlympicsUEFA Euro 2004 — 12th European association football championship2004 Summer Olympics — Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, in Athens, GreeceEurovision Song Contest 2004 — 49th edition of the Eurovision Song ContestCopa América 2004 — 2004 edition of the Copa América association football competition2004 Formula One World Championship — 58th season of FIA Formula One motor racingBasketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics — Competitive event at the 2004 Summer Olympic Gamestennis-at-the-2004-summer-olympics-competitive-event-at-th-2004