 Belinda Benchage vs. Marqueta Vondrasova is the gold medal match for the Olympics for 2021. And both players have had different roads to get to this gold medal matchup. Vondrasova started the tournament off as unceded and would take on the number 16 seed Burtons. And after losing the second set, Vondrasova would prevail in three, putting Burtons into retirement 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Her second round matchup was against Bozzanescu, and this was a much easier performance for Vondrasova, only dropping three games in a straight sets win 6-1, 6-2. Her third round matchup would be against the face of the Olympics and the number two seed, Naomi Osaka. And after Vondrasova came out super aggressive, taking the first set, she finished the job in straight sets, demolishing the second best player in the world, 6-1, 6-4. Her quarterfinal matchup was against another unceded player, Paula Bedossa, who also had a great week beatings Fiontek along the way. And after winning the first set, 6-3, Vondrasova was handed a retirement win after Bedossa struggled in the extreme conditions of Tokyo, 6-3, retirement. In her semi-final, Vondrasova would take on the number four seed, Alina Svetolina. And just like the Osaka match, Vondrasova came out aggressive, and it worked. She prevailed in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, to advance to the gold medal matchup. Belinda Benchich started the tournament off as the number nine seed, and would take on Pagola in the first round, who has been a very good player in 2021. But this didn't phase Benchich, who got through in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Her second round opponent would be against the Japanese player Doi, and again, easy result coming up for Benchich, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Her third round opponent would be the number eight seed, and French Open champion, Barbara Krajkova. And after going down bad in the first set, Benchich rebounded to win in three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3. Her quarterfinal matchup would be the French Open finalist, and number 13 seed Pavlechenkova. And after bagling in the first set, she was forced to fight in three, eventually prevailing 6-love, 3-6, 6-3. Her semifinal opponent was against the number 15 seed, Rabakina, who had had a really good tournament to make it to this stage, and after Benchich saved multiple set points in the first set, she was forced to play three sets, eventually prevailing 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, to advance to the gold medal match. These two have only played the one time before, and that was actually a couple of months ago in Miami on the hard courts, and Vondrasova got the three-set win, so she'll be feeling confident going in against Benchich, having that win on her belt. If Vondrasova's going to win, she needs to be aggressive from the get-go, just like she was against Osaka and Svetolina, because we're finding that if she does become aggressive at the start, she can start putting pressure on her opponents, and against a player like Benchich, who would be the favourite going into this matchup, it's a gold medal matchup, a lot of pressure for both players. Vondrasova needs to come out aggressive. If Benchich is going to win, she needs to buy her time, and just be patient, because we know what Vondrasova's going to bring, she's going to bring the aggression, but if Benchich can just be patient like she was against Rabakina, maybe she'll get her chances, and she's going to have to take those chances, like she did against Rabakina in that semi-final. Big matchup here in the gold medal, both players playing for their countries, it's going to be a lot of pressure for both. There's a lot on the line for these young players, because remember, they're only in their early 20s, Benchich 24, Vondrasova is 22, so very interested to see how they're going to deal with the moment because they're playing for their country, and it looked like Benchich after winning her match, got a little emotional, so there's going to be a lot of pressure on the shoulders of not only the Swiss, but also the Czech. I'm going to go with Vondrasova to win this one. I think the upset is going to happen. I feel like Vondrasova having that win over Benchich in Miami earlier this year on the hard courts, and the pressure of the moment, I feel like it might get to Benchich, and I think Vondrasova is going to cause the upset and continue that form that she has been all tournament. But let me know down in the comments below, who do you think is going to win the gold medal?