Paris 2024: Swiatek ease past Schmiedlova, clinch bronze medal

Swiatek made history on Friday by becoming the first tennis player from Poland to win an Olympic medal after she defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1 in the bronze-medal match at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

In doing so, the 23-year-old pole won the bronze medal after finishing the tennis women’s singles category in third place.

Swiatek needed just 59 minutes to get past the world no.67 Schmiedlova on Court Philippe Chatrier, which is quite a familiar location for the word no.1 Swiatek who has won four French Open championships in the last five years in this arena.

“I saw you sitting down and having a moment to soak it all in. What was going through your mind?”

“I don’t know honestly,” Iga continued. a lot of mixed emotions. I’d love to play the final tomorrow. But just getting up here today and really enjoying playing and being able to do everything professionally and playing such a tennis that I could really kind of have peace in my mind gave me a lot. I’m happy I could do it and finish this tournament on a positive note.” Iga Swiatek said on court interview after winning Poland’s first tennis medal at the Olympics.

Iga Swiatek is the 4th player to win an Olympic Medal as World No. 1 since the WTA Rankings were published in 1975; Steffi Graf (Seoul 1988), Justine Henin (Athens 2004), Victoria Azarenka (London 2012) and Iga Swiatek (Paris2024).