Iga Swiatek found it hard to contain her emotions and burst out in tears after her unexpected defeat against Qinwen Zheng in the quarter-finals. The Pole was voted to be the contender for the gold, considering her unmatched dominance on clay, especially at Roland Garros. Now that her hopes for gold have taken a hit, she is set to play for bronze against Anna Karolína Schmiedlová.

The Slovakian proved to be strong enough throughout her Olympics campaign. She took down notable rivals like Jessica Pegula to make it this far and is now set to go against one of the toughest rivals in her career. But who among the two has better odds of winning? Let’s find out!

Iga Swiatek vs Anna Karolína Schmiedlová: Preview

Swiatek recently encountered one of the toughest defeats of her clay-court career by losing to Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. Even after sitting on a massive 6-0 record against Zheng and being on a 25-match winning streak in Paris, she faced a shocking 6-2, 7-5 defeat after leading 4-0 in the second set. This defeat marked only the eighth time she has lost on clay since her breakout in 2020. It was also her first straight-set loss on Parisian clay since the 2021 Roland-Garros.

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, on the other hand, went through an impressive road but eventually ended with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Donna Vekic in just over an hour. She still has had a strong campaign in the ongoing event, which includes remarkable wins over higher-ranked players, including Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. The Slovakian WTA star came to Paris after losing to lower-ranked players but managed to defeat Katie Boulter, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and Jasmine Paolini. Schmiedlova had only won once in 12 matches against top-10 players before this event. She won a 125k tournament in Parma earlier this year, was a finalist in another 125k event, and reached the semifinals in Budapest.

Swiatek vs Schmiedlová: Head-to-head

The head-to-head statistics between Iga Swiatek and Anna Karolína Schmiedlová remain vacant as both of them have never been in a showdown against each other. While there’s an evident gap between their rankings, the fact that they are playing for the first time is justified.

Prediction: Swiatek to win in straight sets

Iga Swiatek is expected to be highly motivated to win an Olympic medal after her tough loss to Zheng Qinwen. Although she incurred a disappointing loss, the Pole still has the drive and quality to overcome Anna Karolina Schmiedlova swiftly. Swiatek’s desire to secure an Olympic medal should fuel her performance in the upcoming showdown. Although her Slovakian rival has showcased impressive levels in the ongoing tournament, she still doesn’t possess the game to challenge the world no.1.

Besides the psychological odds, Swiatek’s aggressive, all-court playing style will also be a crucial factor in the match. She is known to bring a perfect blend of powerful serves, topspin shots, and accurate backhands down the line, which have done wonders for her on clay. Swiatek ensures to construct each of her points carefully, being patient to look for the perfect moment where she can hit a winner.

Her ability to slide and defend appreciably combines with her speed and power to double her chances of giving a tough time to her rivals, especially on clay. However, the challenge will not be easy, as Schmeidlova’s counter-punching style allows her to win long rallies. With defensive tennis her forte, she bodes well on clay. Most of her career’s titles have come on the surface, and she will not roll over for Swiatek.

The clash will be between two players who love the red dirt. Still, even if Swiatek is not at her best right now, her game and track record at Roland Garros is enough to help her secure a straight-sets victory and the first Olympic medal of her career.