The day after experiencing one of the toughest defeats of her career—a straight sets loss to Zheng Qinwen on the clay courts she has ruled for three years—Iga Swiatek found herself in an entirely new situation. Typically, a loss in most tournaments signifies the end of the journey, but at Roland Garros, an Olympic medal was still at stake. Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, needed to rise above her disappointment and seize the opportunity before her.
The world No. 1 navigated the challenging circumstances remarkably well, bouncing back to thoroughly defeat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova from Slovakia with a score of 6-2, 6-1, earning her first Olympic medal, a bronze.
Not all great champions have shown the ability to accept defeat and still find motivation for a bronze medal. At London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, Novak Djokovic’s Olympic journeys ended with back-to-back losses in the semifinals and subsequent bronze matches.
Though Swiatek initially struggled, making unforced errors and falling behind early against Schmiedlova, her game quickly found its rhythm. From 2-1 down in the first set, the Polish player surrendered only one more game, expertly dismantling her opponent’s serve and overwhelming the Slovak with her relentless aggression. It was a polished and professional display against a lesser opponent.
As Swiatek secured the final point, her initial response was a modest shake of her racket. However, once she sat down, tears streamed down her face. It may not have been the medal she originally aimed for in Paris, but it is undoubtedly a proud achievement she will reflect upon with joy.
The summer of Carlos Alcaraz continued as he dismantled Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1, advancing to the men’s gold medal match and ensuring himself at least a silver in his Olympic debut. Alcaraz, the second seed and just 21 years old, has become the youngest men’s medallist since tennis was reinstated in the Olympics in 1988.
Just over two months ago, Alcaraz arrived at Roland Garros amid a challenging season. A forearm injury had sidelined him for a significant portion of the clay-court swing, and his inconsistency and impulsiveness had resulted in just one title over nearly 10 months. Since then, the Spaniard has experienced a remarkable streak, lifting the trophies at Roland Garros and Wimbledon prior to reaching the gold medal match. Against Auger-Aliassime, Alcaraz was merciless—he consistently outperformed the Canadian in nearly every facet, executing a brilliant array of drop shots and controlling the net with ease.
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With no ranking points available in Paris, Alcaraz will retain the No. 3 spot in the world regardless of the outcomes. However, it is undeniable that he is currently the finest player globally, relishing one of the most stellar phases of his youthful career. He will compete for an Olympic gold medal against either Djokovic, the top seed, or Lorenzo Musetti in a rematch of their Wimbledon semifinal from last month, a match that Djokovic won.
