Even Iga Swiatek can be defeated on clay. Her loss at the hands of a lower-ranked player, against whom she had a perfect winning record, has shocked everyone. The player who has claimed 4 Grand Slam in Paris, the latest one being just two months ago. This defeat would sting more than any other, not just for the tennis fans who considered her a favorite to win. But also the Pole tennis player. The court which could have given her the first Olympic crown led to the heartbreaking exit. And this was visible from Swiatek’s conduct when she realized that her campaign had ended. But tennis fans didn’t take the slip-ups lightly!
The moment Swiatek returned the ball out of bounds to Qinwen Zheng. It was game over for the Pole. A would-be fairy tale turned into a nightmare. As she went on to consult her last shot with the umpire, and further requested to watch the replay. While Zheng celebrated heartily on the court, before coming to the net to shake hands with the World No.1. And she waited for a moment as Swiatek was ahead of her, for a customary handshake with the Umpire. To everyone’s surprise, Swiatek left the court without showing gratitude to the umpire. And this moment led to the whole saga. Tennis fans won’t stand for this even if the reason is heartbreak.
