Olympics 2016: Williams sisters to lead United States tennis team at Rio

Los Angeles, United States of America: World number one Serena Williams, a double Olympic champion in 2012, her sister Venus and the Bryan brothers lead the US tennis team named Friday  for the 2016 Rio Games.

Serena Williams, who earned her 22nd Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, will defend the singles and doubles titles she captured in London. In doubles, she and Venus will be trying to win gold for the fourth time, after triumphs in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

Venus, who won Olympic singles gold in 2000, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens will all compete in singles while Bethanie Mattek-Sands and CoCo Vandeweghe will form the second women’s doubles team for the US.

[caption id=“attachment_2879522” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Serena Williams and venus Williams will lead the USA tennis team at Rio Olympics. AP[/caption] The country’s other strongest medal chance lies with Bob and Mike Bryan, the reigning men’s doubles champions who have won 16 Grand Slam titles and spent more than 435 weeks atop the doubles world rankings.

As expected, US number John Isner, ranked 16th in the world and a quarter-finalist at the London Games, is not in the squad, having indicated earlier this year he would not play.

The US men’s team includes Steve Johnson, Jack Sock, Denis Kudla and Brian Baker in singles, with Sock and Johnson also to team up in doubles.

The US Tennis Association said the mixed doubles participants would be decided in Rio.