The only man to win Olympic gold in both singles and doubles
In short: In a sport often defined by individual dominance, Nicolás Massú achieved a feat of dual mastery. At the 2004 Athens Games, he secured Chile's first-ever Olympic gold medals, becoming the sole male player in the Open Era to capture both singles and doubles titles at a single Olympics.
Massú’s path to the podium was paved with resilience. A clay-court specialist known for his fighting spirit, he spent years navigating the grueling ATP circuit. After turning professional in 1997, he faced significant setbacks; notably, a loss in 2003 pushed him out of the top 100, forcing him to return to the Challenger circuit before eventually climbing back to a career-high world No. 9.
His historic run in Athens was defined by dramatic tension. In the doubles final on August 21, 2004, Massú and partner Fernando González defeated Germany's Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schüttler after overcoming four consecutive match points in a fourth-set tie-break. During a five-set singles final on the next day, Massú won his second gold medal against Mardy Fish of America. This performance earned him the 'Athlete of the Day' distinction and remains his most cherished career memory.
Beyond his personal accolades, Massú’s legacy is tied to Chilean national identity. He served as the flag bearer for Chile at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and later became the Davis Cup captain in 2014. Under his leadership, the team returned to the elite group of competition and qualified for the 2019 Davis Cup Finals. Today, he continues to influence the sport as a high-level coach, having guided champions like Dominic Thiem and Hubert Hurkacz.
9. He trained at the Nick Bollettieri Academy and Barcelona's High Performance Center. During the 2004 Athens games, Massú and Fernando González secured a doubles victory over Rainer Schüttler and Nicolas Kiefer on 21 August, despite facing four successive match points. He led Chile to the 2019 Finals, their first entry in eight years. He now coaches Dominic Thiem and Hubert Hurkacz.
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