China's Qinwen Zheng defeated the U.S.'s Emma Navarro in three sets (6-7, 7-6 and 6-1) during the third round of the women's tennis singles tournament at the Olympics on Tuesday.
Navarro (left); Zheng (right)
After losing the three-hour long match, 23-year-old Navarro didn't take it well, as she confronted Zheng, 21, at the net and later told reporters what she said to the Chinese player.
"I just told her I didn't respect her as a competitor," Navarro, No. 15 ranked in the world, said. "I think she goes about things in a pretty cut-throat way. It makes for a locker room that doesn't have a lot of camaraderie, so it's tough to face an opponent like that, who I really don't respect."
Zheng also told her side of the story of what was said during the post-match exchange.
"She told me she doesn't know how I have a lot of fans," Zheng, No. 7 ranked in the world, said. "It looks like she's not happy with my behavior towards her. If she's not happy about my behavior, she can come and tell me. I would like to correct it to become a better player and a better person."
emma navarro: I don’t know how you have any fans
qinwen zheng: https://t.co/cbiBRnz69w— sarah (@zszsarah) July 31, 2024
Despite initially taking the high road, Zheng couldn't help herself by taking a jab at the American, reminding her who won.
"I'm glad that she told me that. I will not consider it an attack because she lost the match," Zheng said.
Qinwen Zheng when asked about Emma Navarro saying that she “doesn’t respect her as a competitor”:
“All I know is that I'm in the quarterfinals of the Olympics, I don't know where she is."
Later, Qinwen asked the moderator: "Isn't she back in the USA already?" pic.twitter.com/vIwwjVCb2M
— nala (@rybacekina) July 30, 2024
Zheng moved on to her quarter-final matchup with Germany's Angelique Kerber on Wednesday, and won (6-7, 6-4, 7-6), which means she will now play in the Olympic semi-final round.
To point out, Navarro wasn't the only U.S. tennis star that let out her emotions after a match, as Danielle Collins didn't mince words with Poland's Iga Swiatek after losing in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Danielle Collins had some words after the match: “Your behaviour is terrible, next time I hit the ball I’ll aim for your face, b*tch” said the American to her opponent Swiatek pic.twitter.com/X3AQED1jtr
— carlos (@tsitsichard) July 31, 2024
"Your behavior is terrible, next time I hit the ball, I'll aim for your face b****," Collins told Swiatek while shaking her hand after she lost.
Although, we can't know what goes on behind the scenes in the Olympic locker rooms, all in all, it hasn't been a good look for the U.S. women's tennis players at the Paris Games, as fans around the world have reacted to their seemingly sore-losing attitudes.
It’s been quite a remarkable week for #wtatennis. It’s as if Emma Navarro, Coco Gauff & Danielle Collins had an active bet: “Which of us can lose at the Olympics in the most unsportsmanlike way?” And in fact, it was a photo finish. Will they hear from tennis’ governing bodies?
— Jeff Rowan (@JeffRowan10s) July 31, 2024
Related: Coco Gauff In Tears Arguing With Umpire Over Controversial Call Leading To Olympic Exit
