Iga Świątek defeated the Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6-2; 6-1) and gained her place on the third step of the prestigious podium of the Olympic Games. 

On Thursday afternoon, Światek lost against the Chinese Quinwen Zheng (6-1; 7-5). This loss meant the Varsovian missed her chance to win the gold medal on Saturday. The disappointment was significant, given her status of absolute favourite of the competition and the high hopes of numerous Poles.

“I will hold onto the fact that although I didn’t fulfill my greatest dream, for today, I did everything I could to play […] as best as I could, on my own terms. Thank you for your support and understanding regardless of expectations. I will return to the Games wiser” – she wrote on her X account. 

Nevertheless, Iga’s bronze medal remains a remarkable achievement. She became the first Polish player ever to win a medal at the Olympics, which is worth emphasising. This result shows how consistent Poland’s champion has been since the start of the 2020s. 

On Monday, Iga will start her 115th week as world number 1. By the end of August, she will have taken over the Belgian Justine Henin who held the top spot for 117 weeks in the mid-2000s. By the end of September, “1GA” will become the seventh player with the most weeks as world number 1, surpassing her former rival Ashleigh Barty (121). 

Image: X (@iga_swiatek)

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen