The American men’s doubles pair of Steve Johnson and Jack Sock began Friday with hopes of winning the nation’s second consecutive gold medal, following up on the triumph of the Bryan brothers at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. But a straight set loss to Romania’s Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau in the semifinals dropped the Americans into the bronze medal match, meaning only a win would get them onto the medal stand.
Johnson and Sock bounced back in a big way, defeating Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Vacek Pospisil in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, to take the bronze.