Top-seeded Iga Świątek’s quest for Olympic gold came to an unexpected halt as she fell to China’s Qinwen Zheng in the semifinals. Despite a valiant effort, Świątek was defeated 2-6, 5-7, and will now compete for the bronze medal.
The match started with Świątek showing promise, but her performance was marred by unforced errors and double faults. In the first set, she initially managed to fend off a break point and took an early lead. However, Zheng quickly leveled the score, breaking Świątek’s serve to lead 2-1. Despite Świątek’s attempts to break back, Zheng maintained her advantage, taking the first set after Świątek committed a series of errors.
The second set saw Świątek beginning with a stronger performance, racing to a 3-0 lead with some impressive winners. Yet, her form wavered as Zheng broke her serve and leveled the set. Świątek’s frustrations were evident as her unforced errors increased, allowing Zheng to claw back into the match. At a critical juncture, Zheng’s ace secured a pivotal game, and she eventually closed out the match with another strong service game, despite Świątek’s protests over a disputed serve call.
For Iga Świątek, the dream of Olympic gold has been dashed, and she must now turn her focus to the bronze medal match. She will face the winner of the semifinal between Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlová and Croatia’s Donna Vekić.
Iga Świątek – Qinwen Zheng 0-2 (2-6, 5-7)