No. 1 Swiatek Stunned by China's Zheng in Semis at Paris Olympics

Iga Swiatek, the world No. 1, entered the Paris Olympics with high expectations of securing a gold medal. With five Grand Slam titles to her name, including four at Roland Garros, Swiatek had established herself as a formidable competitor on the red clay. She boasted an impressive 25-match winning streak at the venue.

Her semifinal opponent, Zheng Qinwen, faced a daunting challenge. Despite being 0-6 against Swiatek in previous matches, Zheng entered the match with confidence, aiming to become the first Chinese player to win a singles medal in tennis since the sport's return to the Olympics in 1988.

Zheng achieved her goal, defeating Swiatek 6-2, 7-5, and earning a place in the gold medal match on Saturday. Following her victory, she celebrated by falling onto her back, her red-and-yellow uniform now covered in rust-colored clay.

“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,” said the 21-year-old Zheng, who previously reached the Australian Open final in January before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. “I'm so proud of myself,” she added. “I'm so proud for my country.”

Swiatek did not comment on the match, avoiding questions from reporters in the mixed zone. With flushed cheeks and red eyes, she passed by journalists, saying only, “Sorry. Next time.”

Zheng will face 13th-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia for the gold medal. Vekic reached the final after eliminating No. 2 Coco Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, in the third round.

The outcome of the match was unexpected, given their prior head-to-head record and Swiatek's status as the top-ranked player in the world since April 2022, compared to Zheng's ranking of No. 7. Swiatek had also taken a 4-0 lead in the second set, seemingly regaining control of the match.

Zheng reflected on her previous mindset, acknowledging that she would have likely given up when facing a deficit. “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,” she explained. “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 had previously dominated Zheng, including a victory at the same stadium during the fourth round of the 2022 French Open, where she dropped only one set throughout the tournament.

This week, however, Swiatek faced challenges, including a tough three-set quarterfinal against Danielle Collins, who ultimately retired due to an injury. Following that match, Collins criticized Swiatek for being “insincere” during their on-court conversation.

In the semifinal, Zheng made her move first, capitalizing on three unforced errors from Swiatek, including a double fault, to break for a 2-1 lead. However, Swiatek quickly equalized. Yet, Zheng began to dominate, using her powerful serves and groundstrokes to take four consecutive games.

After the first set, Swiatek took a break in the locker room, which allowed her to regroup. Upon returning, she hit confident forehands and took a commanding 4-0 lead in the second set. Zheng, however, remained resilient, leveling the score at 4-4, and Swiatek could not recover.

“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,” Zheng said. “I made history already, but I don't want to stop here.”