Paris, Aug 2 (AP) Iga Swiatek used a towel to wipe tears from her eyes at the Paris Olympics after earning a bronze for Poland's first tennis medal at any Summer Games by beating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-1 on Friday.

The match took just 59 minutes, and Swiatek played much more cleanly than she did a day earlier in a straight-set loss to Zheng Qinwen of China in the semi-finals.

Also Read | Paris Olympics 2024: Tom Cruise To Make Dazzling Skydiving Entrance at Closing Ceremony.

That result ended Swiatek's 25-match unbeaten streak at Roland Garros, the clay-court facility used for the French Open each year and for the 2024 Olympics.

After losing to Zheng on Thursday, Swiatek skipped any questions from print reporters in the mixed zone area for interviews. Her face flushed and eyes red, Swiatek did not break stride as she passed journalists, saying only: “Sorry. Next time.”

Also Read | Paris Olympics 2024: Alia Bhatt Praises Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale for Their Victories; Actress Says 'Making Us Proud With Every Shot'.

The No. 1-ranked Swiatek was a popular pick to leave Paris with gold, in large part because she has won four of the past five French Open titles, including the last three in a row. She also won the 2022 US Open.

Schmiedlova defeated both the reigning Wimbledon champion, Barbora Krejcikova, and the runner-up there and at the French Open this year, Jasmine Paolini, on her way to the semi-finals, before losing to Donna Vekic of Croatia. Schmiedlova is a 29-year-old, ranked 67th and has one fourth-round appearance at a Slam. That came last year at Roland Garros.

Zheng faces Vekic in the women's final on Saturday. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)