Swiatek Stunned by Zheng in Olympic Semi-Finals

World number one Iga Swiatek experienced a shock defeat to China's Zheng Qinwen in the Olympic semi-finals at Roland Garros. Swiatek, on a 25-match winning streak, cited stress and lack of preparation time for her poor performance. She still has a chance for a bronze medal.

World number one Iga Swiatek faced an unexpected loss to China's Zheng Qinwen in the Olympic semi-finals at Roland Garros on Thursday. Overwhelmed with emotion, Swiatek admitted to making critical mistakes during the match.

Swiatek, previously undefeated at Roland Garros with a 25-match winning streak, was the favorite for the gold medal following her third consecutive French Open title. "I had a hole in my backhand," she explained to Eurosport Poland, one of her usually strongest strokes.

Despite a 6-0 record against Zheng, Swiatek's game was riddled with 36 unforced errors. She attributed the subpar performance to stress and insufficient adjustment time between matches. Swiatek refrained from taking questions from reporters post-match and noted additional physical strain from an earlier quarter-final incident. She aims for a bronze as she faces the loser of the other semi-final.