Paris Olympics 2024, Tennis Day Highlights: Qinwen Zheng wins gold in women's singles; Lorenzo Musetti bags bronze in men's singles

First-time Olympic finalists Qinwen Zheng and Donna Vekic will face-off for gold at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Qinwen Zheng became the first Chinese player to make the Olympic Games singles final by ending Iga Swiatek’s 25-match unbeaten streak at Stade Roland Garros on Thursday. The Chinese sixth seed stole the show, beating the ‘Queen of Clay’ 6-2, 7-5 to give herself a shot at an Olympic gold.

Swiatek, the top-ranked WTA player, found herself on the losing end after her familiarity with the clay courts of Roland-Garros did not come to her aid. 

With the win over the Pole, Zheng has gone one better than compatriot Li Na. Li Na made it to the last four in Beijing in 2008 before losing in the bronze medal match. It was the first win by 21-year-old Zheng over 23-year-old Swiatek in seven meetings on the WTA Tour. 

After routing Iga Swiatek in the semi-final, Zheng will take on Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the women’s singles final on Saturday, August 3rd. Swiatek, who began her campaign as the clear favourite for the gold medal, will instead play for the bronze against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova later today.

Croatian Donna Vekic, meanwhile, also made her first Olympic Games final, defeating Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-4, 6-0. Vekic is playing at her second Olympics. She finished ninth in the women’s singles tennis event at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Qinwen Zheng vs Donna Vekic – Match Details

Date: August 3rd, Saturday

Time: 15:30 (IST) – Tentative

Venue: Court Philippe-Chatrier, Stade Roland-Garros, Paris 

Qinwen Zheng vs Donna Vekic – Preview

Qinwen Zheng’s determined run in her first Olympics has seen her make a final on her debut. She made it through two back-to-back three-hour matches en route to the final over Emma Navarro and three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, before scoring a win over top seed Swiatek in an upset of seismic proportions.

Zheng is on a 10-match win streak on clay, beginning with her successful title defence at the Palermo Ladies Open in July. Donna Vekic, too, caused more than a ripple by knocking out World No. 2 Coco Gauff in the third round in straight sets. The Croatian made it through a three-set affair of her own against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in the last eight.

Vekic will go down in tennis history as the first Croatian to secure a gold or silver medal in singles at the Olympics. The 28-year-old Vekic is also only the second Croat to reach an Olympic singles semi-final after Goran Ivanisevic in 1992, since tennis became an Olympic sport. Ivanisevic claimed the country’s first individual medal that year—a bronze.

Zheng has the honour of becoming the first Asian-born player – man or woman, to reach the Olympic finals and also the first to defeat a World No. 1 on clay since rankings were published in 1975.

Head-to-Head

Matches: 2

Qinwen Zheng: 1

Donna Vekic: 1

The two Olympic old medal competitors at Paris 2024 have had two career meetings – in 2021 and 2023. Vekic prevailed over Zheng at the Courmayeur Ladies Open in 2021 and Zheng returned the favour at the  Zhuhai Championships in 2023. 

Where and how to watch the live streaming and TV broadcast of the Paris Olympics singles tennis final round between ⁠Qinwen Zheng and Donna Vekic in India?

Sports18 Network will broadcast the Olympic singles tennis final between Zheng and Vekic in India via their TV channels. Jio Cinema joins in as a streaming partner for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Prediction

The unpredictable nature of sports has given us two unlikely finalists, Qinwen Zheng and Donna Vekic. After convincingly pulling the rug from under Swiatek’s feet – Zheng rallied from 0-4 down, winning seven of the final eight games in the second set against Swiatek, she is one step away from Olympic glory.

Standing in her way is another first-time Olympic finalist and Wimbledon 2024 semi-finalist, Donna Vekic. The 2024 Olympic Games final is the biggest match of their careers. Zheng, the Chinese No. 1, showcased her ability to switch gears from offense to defence against Swiatek. That ability will give her the edge in the final against Vekic.

The 21st-ranked Vekic should look to chip away at Zheng’s defence, who will be brimming with confidence after dethroning Swiatek in the last four.  With both players having a good serve as part of their skill-set, maintaining a higher serve percentage will be key. Should the match go all the way, Zheng will likely prevail, given her edge in the fitness department. 

Prediction: Zheng to win in three sets.

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