Iga Swiatek revealed that she was going through “a lot of mixed emotions” after winning the bronze medal but also admitted that she would have preferred to have played in Saturday’s final.
After suffering one of the most disappointing losses of her career on Thursday against Zheng Qinwen, Swiatek destroyed Slovakian tennis player Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2 6-1 in the bronze medal match on Friday.
Even though the loss to Zheng still left Swiatek with a shot at a medal, the 23-year-old Pole was seen crying afterward and it was clear that her main goal – which was winning the gold medal – wouldn’t be accomplished.
And even after Swiatek crushed Schmiedlova in just less than an hour to win her first Olympic medal, she looked emotional – and although she was happy about the medal – it was clear that she was still heartbroken about not winning the main prize.
“I don’t know honestly… 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 eberything 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…
