Roland Garros in PARIS — In a surprising turn of events, Iga Swiatek fell to China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics on Thursday. This defeat marks a rare setback for the world No. 1 and four-time French Open champion.
The result was unexpected for several reasons. Swiatek came into the match with a perfect 6-0 record against Zheng and has held the top spot in the WTA rankings for nearly every week since April 2022, while Zheng is ranked No. 7. Just when it seemed Swiatek was regaining her form with a 4-0 lead in the second set, she faltered.
What made this loss particularly shocking is Swiatek’s exceptional prowess on red clay and at Roland Garros, the venue for the French Open and Olympic tennis.
Following the match, Swiatek did not address print reporters in the mixed zone. With flushed cheeks and red eyes, she walked past journalists, simply stating, “Sorry. Next time.”
Zheng, 21, who was the runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open in January, secured China’s first singles medal in Olympic tennis since the sport returned to the Games in 1988.
In Saturday’s gold medal match, Zheng will compete against either 13th-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia or unseeded Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia, who were set to face off Thursday night at Court Philippe Chatrier. Vekic had previously eliminated No. 2 Coco Gauff, the reigning US Open champion, in the third round.
Swiatek had previously dominated her encounters with Zheng, including a match in the same stadium during the fourth round of the 2022 French Open, where Zheng was the only player to win a set against her that tournament.
However, this week has not been smooth sailing for Swiatek. In Wednesday’s quarterfinals, she struggled through three sets and was even hit by a ball from her opponent Danielle Collins, who ultimately retired due to an injury. Collins later criticized Swiatek for being “insincere” during their on-court conversation.
On Thursday, it was Zheng who struck first, capitalizing on three unforced errors from Swiatek, including a double fault, to break for a 2-1 lead. That advantage was short-lived, as Swiatek quickly broke back, prompted by cheers of “Iga! Iga!” from the crowd.
However, Zheng found her rhythm, utilizing her powerful serves and groundstrokes to capitalize on Swiatek’s mistakes, rattling off four consecutive games.
After the first set, Swiatek took a break, draping a towel over her shoulders and heading to the locker room. The break seemed to shift the match’s momentum, as Swiatek returned rejuvenated, confidently hitting heavy forehands and dictating play. A double fault from Zheng put Swiatek ahead 4-0 in the second set, but Zheng refused to back down, leveling the score at 4-4.
The match concluded with a tight shot from Zheng landing near the line, leading her to drop to the court in celebration, covered in clay.