Understated Schmiedlova making an Olympic-sized splash for Slovakia
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova is one of the more understated of players – on court and off - but her performances at the Olympic Tennis Event this week have been anything but.
The 29-year-old from Slovakia had managed just one win over a top 10 player in her career prior to turning up at Paris 2024 this week – beating then world No. 8 Roberta Vinci in the opening round at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Over the last two days, in searing sunshine and sapping heat at Roland Garros stadium, she has bagged another two – seeing off world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini in a gruelling three sets before making lighter work of Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in similarly stifling conditions on Wednesday.
She is the first Slovakian player – man or woman - to reach the semi-finals at an Olympic Games since Miloslav Mecir marched to men’s singles gold at Seoul 1988.
Whisper it, but if feels like something similar could be brewing for Slovakian tennis 26 years later, not that Schmiedlova will entertain any thoughts of an underdog run to gold just yet.
“This is already the best result of my career,” said the world No. 67. “Being in the semi-finals, the top four players, is amazing.
“I will try my best. I still have two matches to go. I don’t want to think about it too much because [that approach] helped me until now so I hope I will play good tennis.”
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Donna Vekic or Marta Kostyuk, who will duel in the final match of the day on Court Philippe Chatrier on Wednesday, lie in wait, but Schmiedlova should have no fear against either.
Clearly there is something about Olympic tennis that brings out the best in her.
“I still can’t believe that I’m in the semi-finals,” she said. “The top four players of the world. The best game of my life is [at] the Olympics, for my country and for the people around me. It’s a big deal. It’s amazing for me.”
Daniela Hantuchova was a long-time flag bearer for Slovakia in the Olympic Tennis Event, but even she – a former world No. 5 who competed at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012 – never made it beyond the third round in Olympic competition.
Schmiedlova has saved her most significant tennis performance for an occasion that will resonate more than any other in her home country.
“The best game of my life is [at] the Olympics, for my country and for the people around me. It’s a big deal. It’s amazing for me and it means a lot," said Schmiedlova.
“In my country we don’t have so many athletes. Also in tennis it’s rare to be in the semi-finals at the Olympics. I feel like people at home are following it more than normal tournaments. I’ve never had so many messages and so much support. It’s great for me.”