Iga Swiatek felt it and lost it as her hopes of winning gold for her country slipped away. The world number one was one of the overwhelming favorites for gold after claiming a third successive French Open title this year, but her Chinese opponent didn’t let her get away. While Zheng Qinwen created history for her country, the Pole was left with teary eyes by the end of the day, sharing her emotions loud and clear.
Several elite players were missing, and Iga Swiatek appeared ready to add Olympic gold to her five Grand Slam victories. But even though Swiatek, who is known as the Queen of Clay, had a 6-0 lifetime record versus Zheng, the 23-year-old struggled in the hot weather, making 36 unintentional mistakes.
However, while the 21-year-old Zheng seized this opportunity for her country, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek was visibly distressed by her performance. The World No. 1 found it difficult to control her tears during the post-match press conference, revealing her internal suffering. She tried not to lose her cool, but the shock of the surprise loss at the Olympics got to her.
Subsequently, her tears eventually overcame her attempts to cover them, showing how deeply disappointed and frustrated she was, as she stopped the interview midway. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that this moving moment highlighted the psychological and personal risks associated with her search for gold, which made her loss even more heartbreaking.
Although Swiatek has seen quick success on the Grand Slam circuit, she has yet to win an Olympic medal. She lost against Paula Badosa in the second round of the Tokyo Games. Reflecting on her Olympic aspirations, a few days before, Swiatek stated, “I always dreamed of the Olympics because of my father. I know it’s not the same for other tennis players, but for me, it’s really something special. I will fight for a medal.”
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However, at the same time, it was a big deal for the Chinese tennis player to represent her country, and get in the race for the gold.
Zheng wants to win a ‘Olympic medal’ for China
When Zheng advanced to the women’s singles semifinals in Paris after upsetting three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber in an intense battle, she matched compatriot Li Na’s incredible feat from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
