Paris 2024 Games: 'Sadness, pride, hunger for more' - Iga Swiatek reflects on Olympics experience after bronze
Published 06/08/2024 at 16:24 GMT+1
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek was fancied to win gold for Poland at the Paris Olympics but fell short as she was beaten in the semi-finals by China's Qinwen Zheng. A few days after winning bronze, Swiatek has given her thoughts on her Olympic experience and has spoken about "how much progress I’ve made since Tokyo". She also says she is "proud" how tennis was "pictured in Paris".
Swiatek 'different class' as she bounces back from heartbreak to claim bronze
Video credit: TNT Sports
Iga Swiatek admits "sadness, pride, disappointment" and a "hunger for more" were among the range of emotions she experienced at the Paris Olympics.
World No. 1 Swiatek was the heavy favourite to win gold for Poland at Roland-Garros, where she has won the French Open for the last three years in a row.
But she was left in tears after suffering a shock semi-final loss to Zheng Qinwen.
Swiatek recovered to win bronze – her first Olympic medal – and a few days later has reflected on everything she went through in Paris.
“After a couple of days I feel ready to sum up this chapter,” she wrote on social media.
“Joy, happiness, sadness, disappointment, satisfaction, hunger for more, pride and so many other emotions, thoughts…I’m still figuring it out and I feel how valuable this experience was to me.
“Maybe in the future, I will assess these two weeks with a bigger picture and a better perspective, but I already see a lot.
“First of all, how much progress I’ve made since Tokyo. How much I can do, how many opportunities I have to become a better player and human. But what’s most important is how much I’ve experienced here.
“It was a special time that wouldn’t be possible without my team and my family. Thank you for what you did for me.
“Zheng Qinwen, Donna Vekic, huge congrats to you! I’m grateful I could share the Olympic podium with you two.”
China’s Zheng went on to win gold, beating Croatia’s Vekic in the final.
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Swiatek will soon return to the WTA Tour where she is expected to compete in Cincinnati next week ahead of the US Open, which starts on August 26.
Before leaving Paris, she watched Poland's men's volleyball team reach the semi-finals.
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Image credit: Getty Images
Reflecting on her overall experience at the Olympics, she added: “When I’m thinking about the Olympics and tennis, I’m so proud, how our sport was pictured in Paris.
“So many amazing matches, inspirational stories, amazing pictures from the opening ceremony where tennis players had a special place.
“We should appreciate that tennis plays such an important role in the world of sports. I’m happy that my story is part of it.”
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
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