Venus matches record but it's silver not gold

by Reuters

31 May 2017, 19:15 IST

2016 Rio Olympics - Tennis - Victory Ceremony - Mixed Doubles Victory Ceremony - Olympic Tennis Centre - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 14/08/2016. Silver medalists Venus Williams (USA) of USA and Rajeev Ram (USA) of USA receive their medals. REUTERS/Toby Melville

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Venus Williams' record-equalling fifth Olympic tennis medal was silver rather than gold as she and partner Rajeev Ram lost an all-American mixed doubles final to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock on Sunday .

Williams, who teamed up with Ram at short notice for the tournament, looked on course for a fifth gold when taking the first set but eventually lost 6-7(3) 6-1 10-7.

She has also won the women's doubles three times with sister Serena as well as a singles gold.

The 36-year-old matches the Olympic tennis medal tally of Britain's Kitty Godfree from the 1920s but fell short of becoming the first tennis player to win five golds.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Ken Ferris)