The competitors had a clear idea of Iga Swiatek‘s ambitions as she announced “I was the one that was more solid” after taking down Danielle Collins. The French Open champion is carrying her clay court dominance forward with a massive campaign at the Paris Olympics. With a commendable form, she swiftly made it to the semi-finals and is now matched up against Qinwen Zheng.

The Chinese couldn’t manage to restrict the flow of tears from her eyes as she took down Angelique Kerber recently. While she’s currently playing for her nation’s glory, everything seems to be connected with emotions. But who among these two rivals has a better chance of making it to the top four? Let’s find out!

Iga Swiatek vs Qinwen Zheng: Preview

World No. 1 WTA star Iga Swiatek recently faced Danielle Collins in the quarter-finals after two intense long hours, and won the match via retirement 6-1, 2-6, 4-1. Swiatek has proved to be strong enough in Paris, winning four of her five majors there. Her massive portfolio includes reaching 26 finals, with 12 on clay at just 23 years of age. She converted five of seven semifinal appearances into titles in the ongoing season, including wins in Madrid, Rome, and Roland-Garros along with extending her clay winning streak to 23 matches.

Zheng Qinwen, on the other side, has played two back-to-back three-hour matches to stay in her first Olympics. She defeated 11th seed Emma Navarro 6-7, 7-6, 6-1, and then came back from 1-4 in the final set to beat Angelique Kerber 6-7, 6-4, 7-6. The Chinese WTA star sent the three-time major champion into retirement and, therefore, became the one from her nation to reach an Olympic singles semifinal, following Li Na in 2008. Zheng has won her last five semifinals and was the runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open. She’s on a nine-match winning streak because of the title defense in Palermo.

Swiatek vs Qinwen: Head-to-head

After six years of navigating her journey as a professional tennis player, Qinwen Zheng has already faced Iga Swiatek a total of 6 times. With her amazing skillset and absolute dominance, the Pole managed to take down her Chinese rival in all of their past showdowns. This makes her lead the head-to-head stats with a commendable 6-0 score.

Their last showdown took place recently in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Swiatek used her potential to shut Zheng down 6-3, 6-2. Here’s a list of the other showdowns played between them:

• 2024 United Cup: Iga Swiatek won 6-2, 6-3
• 2023 Cincinnati: Swiatek won 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
• 2023 Stuttgart: Swiatek won 6-1, 6-4
• 2022 San Diego: Swiatek won 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
• 2022 Roland Garros: Swiatek won 6-7, 6-0, 6-2

Prediction: Swiatek to win in straight sets

Iga Swiatek is set to face Zheng Qinwen in the Paris Olympics, and she seems to be the favorite. The Pole paved her way through a tough quarter-final against Danielle Collins, as the American veteran had to retire due to injury. However, Swiatek’s strong track record on Parisian clay is something that can’t be ignored. Although Zheng is on a great season, her performance at Roland Garros hasn’t been impressive. Unless playing for her country brings out something special in her, Swiatek is expected to win this match.

Swiatek’s aggressive, all-court style with a big serve, topspin, and strong backhand makes her a tough opponent. She often hits many winners on clay, even if it goes for unforced errors. The Pole is known to use a smart strategy during the clay season by kicking the ball high to her opponent’s backhand, making them return it short. This strategically sets her up to hit a winning forehand down the line. Her powerful forehand, especially during the major event at Roland Garros, is her biggest strength.

Swiatek’s excellent movement allows her to play in a semi-open stance from the backhand corner, confidently covering the forehand side. She moves so well that it seems effortless. Zheng will need to play her best tennis as Swiatek’s experience on clay gives her an upper hand. With how their playstyles adapt to clay, Swiatek is predicted to win in 2 sets and play in her first Olympics final.