Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 1
Stats and notes from the Women's singles competition
cover 📸credit: Olympic Games website / Getty Images
The opening day of the 2024 Paris Olympics tennis tournament was characterized by persistent rain, in a déjà vu from this year’s French Open (jokingly called Drench Open).
Only 4 matches of the Women’s singles were completed, played under the roofs of Philippe Chatrier or Suzanne Lenglen courts. Not a single ball was struck on the outside courts.
Iga Swiatek vs Irina-Camelia Begu
(Poland, rank 1) vs (Romania, rank 136)
22-straight wins for Swiatek at Roland Garros Stadium
Begu led 5-3 in the second set. Swiatek avoided a decider by winning 4 games in a row
Forced errors created the difference (16 more from Begu)
29 unforced errors from Swiatek, a higher than usual number
Swiatek generated 15 break points compared to 3 by Begu
Ana Bogdan vs Jasmine Paolini
(Romania, rank 96) vs (Italy, rank 5)
Bogdan enjoyed a 4-1 double-break lead in set 1. After that, Paolini raised her level
By the end, numbers indicate Paolini was the one dictating play: accumulated 16 more winners, 14 more unforced errors and induced 7 more forced errors
Paolini was a perfect 15-for-15 at the net, finished above 70% in 1st serves in (75%) and 1st serves won (71%) and generated 11 break points, compared to 3 by Bogdan
Caroline Garcia vs Jaqueline Cristian
(France, rank 25) vs (Romania, rank 61)
One point was the margin of victory (104-103, Cristian)
Cristian was great at matching Garcia’s winners while making 23 less unforced errors
Garcia was the more aggressive player, inducing 18 more forced errors and moving to the net 22 times (winning 18 points, 82%). 47 unforced errors were her downfall
Cristian held 13 break points across 7 return games. She managed to break 4 times
Garcia could only generate 4 break points and just 1 over the last 2 sets
Naomi Osaka vs Angelique Kerber
(Japan, rank 102) vs (Germany, rank 217)
Kerber recovers from a 1-3 start to extend her career
Kerber was excellent on serve: 74% 1st serves made; 76% 1st serves won; 77% 2nd serves won
Osaka hit 9 more winners but also made 17 more unforced errors and 9 more forced errors
Osaka struggled on return: generated a single break point and won only 24% of return points (including 3 of 13 2nd serve return points)
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Even though they follow the same criteria used on all major tennis events, they are not official WTA or ITF stats. They are collected through our own rigorous video analysis.
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— Tennis Inside Numbers