She was halfway there as she took a phenomenal first set 7-6 and applied pressure to the world number one in a way that has rarely been seen over the last three months. But as the second set commenced, the teen began to struggle physically and was facing a 3-0 deficit before opting to take a medical timeout.
After suffering stomach cramps and thigh problems, Qinwen won just two more games before Swiatek sealed a 6-7(5), 0-6, 2-6 victory. Post-match, the world number 74, who was making her French Open debut this year, labelled her cramps as ‘girl problems’ and wished she did not have to experience them.
“It’s just girls’ things, you know. The first day is always so tough and then I have to do sport and I always have so much pain on the first day. And I couldn’t go against my nature,” she told reporters. “I wish I can be a man on court, but I cannot in that moment…I really wish I can be (a) man (so) that I don’t have to suffer from this.”
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