Iga Swiatek, the world No. 1, faced a tough test in her opening match at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, battling past China’s Wang Xiyu in a hard-fought victory. Swiatek, who has won four French Open titles on the very same Court Philippe Chatrier, ultimately prevailed 6-2, 6-4, displaying her trademark intensity and focus in key moments. Swiatek acknowledged Wang’s strong performance, stating that she was aware of her opponent’s capabilities and accepted that Wang would take advantage of opportunities. The Polish star will face eighth-seeded American Danielle Collins in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, 36-year-old German veteran Angelique Kerber, a three-time Grand Slam champion, produced a stunning performance by defeating 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-4, 6-3. This victory marked Kerber’s advancement to the quarterfinals, making her the oldest women’s quarterfinalist since tennis’s return to the Olympics in 1988. Kerber has announced that the Paris Games will be her final tournament.
Coco Gauff, the world No. 2, suffered a disappointing 7-6(7), 6-2 loss to Donna Vekic of Croatia, expressing frustration over what she perceived as a missed officiating call during the match.
In other women’s matches, Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova eliminated Jasmine Paolini, the Italian runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon this year, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine fought back from a set down to defeat seventh-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. Kostyuk highlighted the unique pressure-free environment of the Olympics, emphasizing that players compete with their hearts rather than focusing on points, rankings, or money.
The women’s quarterfinal lineup is now set: Swiatek vs. Collins, Kerber vs. Zheng Qinwen, Barbora Krejcikova vs. Schmiedlova, and Vekic vs. Kostyuk.
The intense heat in Paris, reaching 36 degrees Celsius (97 Fahrenheit), prompted organizers to activate the first stage of the “extreme weather” protocol, providing athletes in singles matches with the option of a 10-minute break before the third set.
In men’s singles action, Alexei Popyrin of Australia delivered a strong performance, defeating three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5. Popyrin, who hails from Australia, described the conditions as some of the hottest he’s ever experienced. Wawrinka, approaching the end of his career, remains uncertain about his retirement plans, suggesting a decision will be made at the end of the year. Popyrin will next face Tokyo gold medalist Alexander Zverev of Germany, who defeated Tomas Machac 6-3, 7-5.
American players Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul both secured their places in the quarterfinals. Fritz overcame a tough first set to beat Jack Draper of Britain 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2, while Paul defeated 18-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-1.
In doubles, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals, securing a thrilling 6-4, 6-7(2), 10-2 match tiebreaker victory over Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands. Nadal is coming off a singles loss to Novak Djokovic, who will face Dominik Koepfer on Wednesday. Andy Murray and his British partner Dan Evans pulled off a dramatic win in doubles, saving two match points to defeat the Belgian duo of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-3, 6-7(8), 11-9. Murray, who has announced his retirement after the Olympics, displayed his fighting spirit and resilience.
