We have reached the Women’s Singles Gold Medal Match at the Paris Olympics, and it’s a matchup no one expected. That’s the beauty of sports, though. Qinwen Zheng stunned Iga Swiatek (we reported on her tactics), while Donna Vekic is currently playing her best tennis, fresh off a Wimbledon semifinal. Which one of these women will end their day with Gold, and which with Silver? Our writers share their thoughts. Predicting this match are Jordan Reynolds, Ateet Shrivastava, and Yesh Ginsburg.
Qinwen Zheng (China) vs Donna Vekic (Croatia)
Jordan:
Surprisingly, despite Zheng shocking Iga Swiatek with an excellent strategic performance, Vekic was the standout player in the semifinals. The Croatian was not moving that freely after her long quarterfinal against Marta Kostyuk, but she still thrashed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova with a performance of stunning technical quality.
Despite that, I am backing Zhang to win the final. The Chinese No. 1 showed she has great defence to compliment her power against Swiatek. Being able to switch gears from attack to defense when she needs to could prove crucial in the final and give her the edge.
Prediction: Zheng in 3
Ateet:
Both these players have done remarkable things in this Olympics against all odds. It’s the final and the biggest match of their careers. It all depends on whether Vekic can hit through Zheng’s defense constantly, she has been able to do that so far but Zheng played the best match of her career against Swiatek and should be full of confidence.
Both players have a good serve so the serve percentage will be key. Zheng has to avoid Vekic’s forehand and try to direct as many balls on the backhand side. One thing is certain both the players will give it all and if it goes the distance, Zheng has the edge in fitness.
Prediction: Zheng in 3
Yesh:
Honestly, Vekic looked like the better player in the semifinals. I know that Zheng beat the unbeatable, but Vekic is playing with a technical precision and controlled aggression that I think even Swiatek would be pained to match. This final should be the Croatian’s to lose.
Prediction: Vekic in 2
Main Photo Credit: Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Sports
