Ending the top seed's 25-match win streak in Paris to become the first Chinese tennis player in an Olympic final. Zheng Qinwen, mesdames et messieurs đź‘Ź #Olympics | #Paris2024 | #Tennis
Big surprise in the women's tournament of the Olympic Games. The world number 1 and absolute queen of clay, and Roland Garros, the Polish Iga Swiatek, has lost in the semis of the Paris Olympic Games and will not be able to fight for the gold. The young Chinese Zheng Qinwen won the match in 2 sets (6-2, 7-5).
The Chinese started the duel much more aggressive and motivated and took the first set with great ease (6-2). The second set was more equal, but the Polish did not feel comfortable at any time in Philippe Chatrier, which is usually the playground of Swiatek but today was a nightmare. Zheng also ended up taking the second set by 7-5 and will fight for the Olympic gold while Swiatek will try to take the bronze medal for Poland.
But it is yet more Olympic Games disappoint for Swiatek who came into the tournament as gold medal favourite. Perhaps too it is her best chance of winning the title gone.
It is on her favoured surface and one that she hasn't been beaten on since 2021. She had won her last 20 clay court matches and had a 38-2 career win loss record at Roland Garros. On the very grounds of the Olympic Games, she had won four French Open titles over the past five years.
But this year's Australian Open runner-up Qinwen affectionally known as 'Queenwen' despite having a poor record against Swiatek has not been far off sealing a win against her. She had pushed Swiatek into three sets on half of the six occasions they had played.
She was the only player too to take a set off Swiatek during her perhaps most imperious run to the 2022 French Open title. On Thursday, Qinwen Zheng was up to the task throughout and had real grind to get to this point.
She was up against it vs both Emma Navarro and Angelique Kerber with both pushing her to the limit so she had gone through the ringer. While Swiatek who has often been caught out recently when not at her best has had a fairly easy run so perhaps wasn't as battle hardened.
But not taking anything away from Queenwen who battled ardently and a big chance now awaits. She will face either Anna Karolina Schmiedlova or Donna Vekic in a final which kind of sums up Olympic Games folklore. When the big names fail to produce, it has been Bencic and Puig in recent times that have come to the fore and the three remaining will add to that list as surprising winners. Albeit Qinwen Zheng having starred on this surface and reached a Grand Slam final is perhaps the least shocking of the trio.
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- FYI: The term 'snub' is a much overused verb by writers of sensationalist rags. [SNUB: rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully]. That is not the definition of what is going on with frequent withdrawals from tournaments.
mandoist16-09-2024 - No offence, Mr. Lloyd, but where have you been the past two years?? How long have you been a tennis fan? This 'article' may be informative for newbies or fair-weather tennis observers but the majority of fans know the root of the multiple issues within WTA. The #1 issue being the subject of health & well-being which has been (or has attempted to be) addressed with the WTA Elitist council members last season. WTA was extremely dismissive of players' concerns and opposed to such a meeting. Eventually giving-in due to publicity and allowed selective players only -- no rep's, no medical personnel, and no team members. The meeting was a farce as WTA soon after that released an even more hectic schedule... with mandatory tourneys! Guess they weren't taking notes?? BTW: There is a lot missing from this piece concerning "withdrawals". No writer has yet taken the jump to get behind the scenes and dig at the problems -- obvious organizational problems. IMO, the top two issues are WTA's lack of proper attention to health & well-being of its Money-Makers; and Financial Greed. Tip to Mr. Lloyd: there is no "snubbing" when these players withdraw. These women have to take such measures as withdrawing from a tourney, and occasional time-off from the circuit, to protect themselves -- because WTA refuses to take any measures at all (although not allowing matches until sunrise is a start). Surely you can do better than point fingers at players. The finger-pointing should be directed entirely at WTA (and ATP). Be a true journalist, Mr. Lloyd, and research them!!mandoist16-09-2024
- Uh-oh.... Now Raducanu is being forced to compete! Let's see who withdraws next... I wonder??mandoist15-09-2024
- And this is such a shock to WTA?? How many times are they (WTA & ATP) going to keep stepping in their own s*** ???mandoist15-09-2024
- They can go down together!mandoist15-09-2024
