I verify what I wrote within the prediction revealed a couple of days in the past for Tennis World USA about Paris Olympics: this can be a match for outsiders. You possibly can see it from the ultimate that Qinwen Zheng will play tomorrow in opposition to Donna Vekic. Let’s be clear, they’re each nice tennis gamers: the Chinese language reached the ultimate on the Australian Open, the Croatian has simply performed the semifinal at Wimbledon. So the 2 tennis gamers in the most effective type attain the ultimate, however, in hindsight, Iga Swiatek’s defeat within the semifinal in opposition to Qinwen is one thing epochal, contemplating that it was performed on her beloved Roland Garros clay-courts.
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The bronze medal gained in opposition to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova is at all times an important achievement, however contemplating the enjoying floor and the dominance expressed by Iga in the whole clay-swing, her defeat was really surprising. The difficulty she had on the finish of the quarterfinals in opposition to Danielle Collins (in a girls’s singles match stuffed with dramatic moments) might have affected the psyche of the younger WTA No.1, who bounced her dominant tennis on clay-courts in opposition to the wall erected by Zheng.
Swiatek d. Schmiedlova 6-2 6-1
Iga wins the Bronze on the Olympics
She ought to be immensely happy with what she’s finished for her nation, not solely this week, however within the greater image
Numerous Polish kids are falling in love with tennis due to what she’s doing.
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— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 2, 2024
Is Iga Swiatek the best disappointment of Paris Olympics? In my view, sure: given the premises and expectations, the gold medal was already prepared for her. This match might have adverse repercussions on the continuation of her season. Let’s have a look at if the Polish will be capable of digest this disappointment and return to dominance.
There isn’t a level in denying it. Yesterday was a troublesome day for Swiatek, who needed to say goodbye to her dream of an Olympic gold medal. The defeat in opposition to Zheng is maybe probably the most painful one suffered to this point in her profession, for the worth that the Polish participant has at all times attributed to the Olympics.
Swiatek had not misplaced a match on the Parisian clay for 1149 days and was – as I stated – absolutely the favourite within the Olympic singles match. Nonetheless, the stress performed a nasty trick on her and, from the primary matches, the same old Swiatek didn’t seem.
On the finish of the match in opposition to Zheng, Swiatek burst into tears earlier than making some statements to the microphones of Eurosport. The Polish participant, along with her eyes nonetheless shining, didn’t reply the questions of the journalists current within the blended zone, nearly apologizing: “I am sorry, subsequent time”.
Iga Swiatek in tears after her loss to Qinwen Zheng on the Olympics. 💔
Very unhappy to see this. She needed it so badly.
However she needs to be so happy with what she’s finished on this courtroom.
4 Roland Garros titles at 23 years previous is insane.
Chin up. ❤️
pic.twitter.com/u9YXtJfFJZ
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 1, 2024