PARIS 2024: IGA SWIATEK CLAIMS BRONZE, BLITZING ANNA KAROLINA SCHMIEDLOVA FOR POLAND’S FIRST OLYMPIC MEDAL IN TENNIS
Iga Swiatek has won Poland’s first Olympic medal in tennis
World No.1 tennis star Iga Swiatek has bounced back after a disappointing semi-final loss at Paris 2024 to claim the bronze medal in women’s singles.
The 23-year-old needed just 59 minutes to beat Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, earning Poland its first-ever Olympic medal in the sport, with Swiatek winning 6-1, 6-2 inside Court Philippe-Chatrier on Friday (2 August) afternoon.
Swiatek fell in the semis to Zheng Qinwen of the People’s Republic of China, marking the first time the four-time and reigning French Open champion had lost at Stade Roland-Garros since 2021.
Swiatek’s father, Tomasz Swiatek, is a former rower who competed in the men’s quadruple sculls for Poland at Seoul 1988.
Swiatek arrived at the Olympic tennis event as the heavy favourite, both as the world No.1 as well as the Roland-Garros champion in 2020, 2022, 2023 and just a few weeks ago in 2024.
But world No.7 Zheng is having a breakout season after reaching the Australian Open final earlier this year. She’ll meet Donna Vekic of Croatia in the women’s gold medal match on Saturday (3 August).
More to come.
