Iga Świątek did not imagine her Olympic semifinal in Paris turning out this way. The Polish player was the clear favorite in the match against Qinwen Zheng, but things didn’t go her way from the beginning. After the score reached 2-2, she lost four consecutive games and the entire first set. In the second set, she led 4-0, only to be caught up and forced into a very tense finish. At the very end, she had the chance to force a tiebreak but was eliminated by a rather controversial final play.
This Decided Świątek's Defeat. An Organizational Fiasco. A Big Question Mark
Zheng led 6-5 in the second set and had the serve in her favor. Świątek had one breakpoint, but the Chinese player managed to defend it, and the game continued into a tiebreak. Finally, Zheng reached match point, and the Polish player found herself in serious trouble. Zheng didn’t hesitate and sent a very powerful serve. The 23-year-old tried to return it, but the ball went out of bounds. At that moment, her opponent fell to the ground in joy and began celebrating her entry into the grand final. However, Świątek still had a glimmer of hope as she raised a challenge.
The Polish player signaled to the referee that, in her opinion, Zheng’s serve was out. At that moment, boos echoed around the Philippe Chatrier court. The referee approached the line and checked the mark. The verdict was swift and clear. The shot was valid, and Świątek had to accept defeat.
Although the referee's decision was clear, the situation is not as straightforward. It’s all due to the rules in place at the Olympics. During the tennis tournament, referees assess the ball's mark "by eye." They cannot use replays or the "Hawk-Eye" technology. A similar situation occurred during the last edition of the Roland Garros. Therefore, the assessment could have been inaccurate. It's difficult to talk about ensuring full fairness.
Świątek now faces a match for the bronze medal. For now, the Polish player does not know her final opponent. It will be the loser of the other semifinal, where Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Donna Vekić will face off.
