"Joy, sadness, disappointment, pride" - Iga Swiatek reflects on emotional Paris Olympics campaign, calls it 'special' despite missing out on gold
Iga Swiatek reflected on her Olympic campaign with much pride in a heartfelt post earlier today, describing the experience as special. Although she fell short in her quest for the gold medal, the Pole took positives from the progress made and the cherished memories.
Swiatek entered the 2024 Summer Games as the firm favorite for the crown, having won the last three French Opens on the same courts. Her title charge was, however, brought to a halt in the semifinals by a red-hot Zheng Qinwen.
The eventual gold medalist dominated Swiatek for most of the match to register one of the biggest shocks in Olympic tennis. The Pole responded positively the following day with an emphatic win against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the bronze medal playoff.
Iga Swiatek admitted in the aftermath of the loss that she put too much pressure on herself throughout the event and that it may have eventually gotten the better of her. She addressed her loss on social media for the first time since the tournament earlier today, giving fans a detailed account of her experience at the Summer Games.
"After a couple of days I feel ready to sum up this chapter. 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 Tokio. 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 family. Thank you for what you did for me," Swiatek wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
She also paid tribute to her fellow competitors Zheng Qinwen and Donna Vekic for their impressive campaigns, describing it as an honor to share the stage with them.
"@zhangqinwen_tennis, @donnavekic huge congrats to you! I'm grateful I could share the Olympic podium with you two," Swiatek continued.
Most of all, she was particularly delighted to see the 'important role' tennis is playing in modern sports and this Olympics in particular with the likes of Coco Gauff and Nicolas Jarry being chosen as flag bearers for their respective countries.
"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 a part of it," Swiatek concluded.
Iga Swiatek amongst a host of stars to skip 2024 National Bank Open
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek withdrew from the National Bank Open on Saturday, August 3rd, citing fatigue.
“I’m sorry to announce that due to overall fatigue caused by the last couple of weeks on the court, I need to withdraw from the tournament in Toronto,” Swiatek said in an official statement.
Hoping to be back and ready for the US hardcourt swing, the Pole will take this time off to rejuvenate ahead of a tight calendar.
“Due to an intense tennis schedule with the Olympics taking place this year and changing surfaces, I need more time to rest and recover in order to be ready to play the US swing in good health and at my best possible level. Looking forward to playing in Toronto next time,” Swiatek concluded.
Other big names in the women's draw set to miss out on the action in Toronto this year include Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, World No. 4 Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, Maria Sakkari, Danielle Collins, Marketa Vondrousova, and Caroline Garcia.