World No. 2 tennis player, Iga Swiatek, has conceded to feeling the thirst for “revenge” against her adversary, Qinwen Zheng, during their recent face-off in Indian Wells. Swiatek suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Zheng in the Olympics semi-final last year, a loss that denied her the opportunity to vie for a gold medal. The memory of her tears post-match remains vivid.
In a stunning turn of events during Thursday’s quarter-final, Swiatek, the reigning champion of Indian Wells, rewrote the narrative with a decisive 6-3 6-3 triumph over Zheng. Speaking candidly after the match, Swiatek revealed her determination to redeem herself and reassure everyone, following her heartbreaking Olympics experience.
Swiatek, who was widely tipped to bag the Olympic gold in Paris last summer, was a crowd favorite due to the location of the tennis event at Stade Roland Garros. Given her impressive record as a four-time French Open champion, expectations were high for her to bring glory to Poland.
However, a shocking 6-2 7-5 loss to Zheng in the semi-final left Swiatek struggling to cope with the unexpected turn of events. Her post-match actions of refusing to shake the umpire’s hand and abruptly walking away from a TV interview following a sudden emotional breakdown spoke volumes about her state of mind.
Zheng subsequently clinched the gold medal, while Swiatek managed to bounce back and secure bronze. Reflecting on her emotional rollercoaster, she confessed to having cried for six hours post-match, equating the feeling to a severe heartbreak.
Despite having previously bested Zheng five times, Swiatek didn’t shy away from admitting her desire for revenge during their first encounter since the Olympics semi-final in Indian Wells on Thursday. Responding to whether the high-profile defeat fueled her determination, she affirmed, “For sure it does. I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I am capable, something I knew even before the Olympics match, and I still know now.”
Swiatek, however, clarified that the past match wasn’t her primary focus when she squared off against Zheng in the Californian desert. She was keen on learning from her previous defeat and was aware of her mistakes from the Olympics. She reasoned that the clay surface didn’t work to her advantage during the Olympics as it made it challenging to predict the ball’s bounce, unlike hard courts.
With this victory, Swiatek has improved her overall head-to-head record against Zheng to 6-1. She is just two victories away from retaining her Indian Wells title and is slated to face Mirra Andreeva next. This is set to be another grudge match for Swiatek, who suffered an upset against Andreeva at the Dubai Championships last month. Reflecting on her recent defeat, Swiatek noted that there is much to analyze and learn from. This is a testament to her ongoing commitment to growth and improvement in the face of adversity.
