Olympics Women’s Tennis Semifinals Preview: Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Donna Vekic

• Iga Swiatek will face Qinwen Zhang in first semifinal

• Anna Karolina Schmidelova will battle Donna Vekic in the second semifinal

The Olympics women’s tennis semifinals are set. The world’s number one player, Iga Swiatek, will face Qinwen Zhang. Zhang is the seventh-best player in the world, but even she should fall victim to Swiatek.  

The winner of the morning match will face either Anna Karolina Schmidelova or Donna Vekic. This should be the more entertaining of the two matches. Schmidelova is on a Cinderella run, and we expect her Olympic magic to continue on Thursday in Paris.

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Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Donna Vekic Odds 

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Donna Vekic: My Pick

Anna Karolina Schmidelova on the moneyline is the most viable betting option for the Olympic semifinal. The Slovak entered the Olympics as the 67th-ranked player in the world, and she has done nothing but pull off upsets in the tournament. 

Something is to be said about betting on athletes playing well at the right time. Schmidelova has played over 700 career matches and only had one top-ten win prior to Paris. She is now one win away from the gold medal match. 

My Pick: Anna Karolina Schmidelova Moneyline (+160) at Caesars Sportsbook

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Donna Vekic Predictions 

Vekic is a phenomenal tennis player but is in a tough situation. Schmidelova is playing excellently, and she has nothing to lose. 

As the 67th-ranked player in the world, very few expected her to win a match in Paris, let alone be one win away from facing Iga Swiatek or Qinwen Zhang for the gold medal. 

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova Preview

The Slovak knocked off #9 seed Barbora Krejcikova on Wednesday. Krejcikova is straight off her Wimbledon title, but she was dominated by Schmidelova. Schmidelova won in two sets (6-4, 6-2), making this result even more surprising. 

This was her second top-ten win of the tournament as she upset #4 Jasmine Paolini in three sets on Tuesday. These sets were much closer as she took the first and third in seven games each to continue her unexpected path to the medal round. 

Paolini reached the finals at Wimbledon, and in the French Open, so she has been playing well. However, it didn’t matter as Schmidelova cruised to a title.

Bet on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (+160) at Caesars

Donna Vekic Preview

If anyone can end Schmidelova’s run to the gold medal round, it’s Vekic. The Croatian was a Wimbledon semifinalist with plenty of big match experience, which gives her a psychological advantage over the Slovak. 

Vekic made a statement earlier this week as she knocked off US flag bearer Coco Gauff in the Round of 16. In an absolute thriller, she followed this win up with a victory over Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8). Vekic is the first Croatian to play in the Olympic semifinals. 

Vekic has been known for big wins in the Olympics. In the 2020 Tokyo Games, she beat the world’s third-ranked player at the time, Aryna Sabalenka. 

Vekic has played well in many major tournaments, but she has struggled to take the next step. Look for a very determined and focused performance from the Croatian.

Bet on Donna Vekic (-215) at Caesars

Who Wins?

Anything can happen in the Olympics, and if this game were based on rank, Vekic would easily be playing for a gold medal. However, this isn’t the case, and Vekic has to face the hottest player in the sport. 

Schmidelova has dominated and won close games against some of the world’s best players. She has been more battle-tested than Vekic, and the Croatian has consistently fallen apart late in tournaments. Schmidelova’s run will end, but we believe she will leave Paris with a silver medal.

How to Watch - Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Donna Vekic

• When: Thursday, August 1 at 6:00 AM EST

• Where: Paris, France 

• Where to Watch: NBC