Iga Swiatek entered the Paris Olympics with high expectations, ranked No. 1 and armed with five Grand Slam titles, four of which she won on the red clay at Roland Garros, the venue for this year’s Summer Games matches. Swiatek had also achieved an impressive 25-match winning streak at the tournament.
However, in a surprising turn of events, her semifinal opponent, Zheng Qinwen, managed to upset Swiatek, defeating her 6-2, 7-5. Prior to this match, Zheng had never beaten Swiatek, holding a 0-6 record in their head-to-head encounters. Nevertheless, she was determined to make history by securing the first singles medal for China in tennis since the sport returned to the Olympics in 1988.
Following her victory, Zheng expressed her joy, stating, “It really does mean everything. I always knew I could do it. But it’s different (if) you know you can — and you show it. And today, I really showed it.” The 21-year-old, whose best career result prior to this was reaching the final of the Australian Open earlier this year, also expressed pride in her achievement for herself and her country.
Swiatek, on the other hand, did not address reporters after the match, opting to walk past them without comment, simply saying, “Sorry. Next time.”
Zheng will now compete for gold against 13th-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia, who eliminated No. 2 Coco Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, in the third round.
The outcome of the match was unexpected, considering Swiatek’s dominance in the rankings and her previous victories over Zheng. Swiatek has maintained her position at the top of the WTA rankings since April 2022, while Zheng ranks No. 7. Furthermore, Swiatek had established a 4-0 lead in the second set before the momentum shifted.
Zheng acknowledged that she had previously struggled to turn around matches at this stage but adopted a different mentality during this match: “Before, when I’m at this stage, I’d let the match go. I’d say, ‘OK, I lose the second set; let’s fight for the third set.’ But today, no. I didn’t use this mentality. I said: ‘I’m just going to fight every single point. Let’s see what’s going to happen. I’m going to play smart. Wait for my chance.’ Little by little, I started to get back in the match.”
Swiatek’s previous dominance included a victory over Zheng in the fourth round of the 2022 French Open, where Zheng managed to take the only set lost by Swiatek during that tournament.
This week, Swiatek faced challenges in her quarterfinal match, which went to three sets and was interrupted when she was struck by a ball from opponent Danielle Collins, who later retired due to an injury. Following the match, Collins criticized Swiatek for perceived insincerity during their on-court exchange.
Zheng opened the match with an early advantage, breaking Swiatek’s serve after capitalizing on three unforced errors, including a double fault. Swiatek quickly broke back, tying the score at 2-2, but Zheng regained control and won four consecutive games to take the first set.
During a break after the first set, Swiatek attempted to regroup, which may have momentarily disrupted Zheng’s focus. However, upon resuming play, Swiatek began to dictate points with her powerful forehands, establishing a 4-0 lead in the second set. Zheng, however, remained resilient, and the match turned again, with the score leveling at 4-4. Swiatek was unable to recover, ultimately losing the match.
Zheng concluded her remarks by stating, “I always wanted to be one of the athletes who can get a medal for China, for our country, and right now I’m one of them. But I know the fight is not over. It’s not the end. I made history already, but I don’t want to stop here.”
