2024 Paris Olympics, tennis: Iga Swiatek storms into semi-finals
World number one women's singles tennis player Iga Swiatek has reached the semi-finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics at Roland Garros on Wednesday. Polish international Swiatek won her last-eight clash against Danielle Collins of the USA on court Suzanne Lenglen. Swiatek, who is a four-time Roland Garros champion at the French Open, progressed after Collins retired in the third set. The Pole was leading.
Swiatek is 51-5 on the WTA Tour this season
Swiatek has won three successive French Open honors here at Roland Garros. She holds a 35-2 win-loss record here. Notably, with this win, Swiatek is now 51-5 on the WTA Tour this season. She has already won five titles. Swiatek now owns a 7-1 record over Collins on the WTA Tour, including three successive wins in 2024 (Australian Open and Indian Wells).
23rd successive win on clay
Swiatek claimed her 23rd consecutive clay-court win this year after clinching titles in the spring in Madrid, Rome and Paris. She won six straight matches each in Madrid and Rome respectively before winning seven matches at the French Open.
Swiatek's journey so far
Swiatek started her 2024 Paris Olympics journey with a first-round victory over Irina-Camelia Begu. Thereafter, she went on to overcome Diane Parry of France. China's Wang Xiyu was Swiatek's next scalp. She has now defeated Collins to reach the semis.
Swiatek beats Collins 6-1, 2-6, 4-1; Zheng Qinwen is next
Swiatek enjoyed a 6-1, 2-6, 4-1 win over Collins, who retired midway in the third set. Swiatek will take on a second straight Top 10 player when she meets No. 6 seed Zheng Qinwen of China in the semi-finals. Zheng enjoyed a superb win over former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber, edging the German in a third-set tiebreak. Kerber's career came to an end.
Here are the match stats
Collins doled out seven aces compared to Swiatek's two. Both players committed one double fault each. Swiatek converted 4/7 break points and clocked 16 winners. She made 15 unforced errors to Collins' 24.
Swiatek makes these records
As per Opta, Swiatek is the 4th player to make the women's singles semi-finals at the Olympics as World No. 1 since tennis returned to the Olympic program in 1988 after Stefi Graf (Seoul 1988), Justin Henin (Athens 2004) and Victoria Azarenka (London 2012). Swiatek owns the most clay court semi-finals in a single season (five) since Serena Williams and Sara Errani in 2013.
