"Hopefully I'll stop crying before next match" - Iga Swiatek & Chris Evert hail Celine Dion for moving Paris Olympics opening ceremony performance

Chris Evert and Iga Swiatek recently lavished praise on singer Celine Dion for her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The 33rd edition of the global games opened on July 26 with a grand ceremony that saw performances from superstars such as Dion, Lady Gaga, and Aya Nakamura, among others.

The Canadian singer Dion sang legendary French singer Edith Piaf's song 'Hymne A L’Amour' atop the Eiffel Tower, with the Olympic rings as a backdrop. Given that Dion was signing again after a two-year hiatus, many people were moved by the performance.

The 56-year-old had taken a break from her singing career as she was diagnosed with a rare disease, called stiff person syndrome, which affects the nervous system, the brain, and the spinal cord.

Dion's spine-tingling rendition of the song moved Iga Swiatek and Chris Evert, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise the singer.

Swiatek, the World No. 1, had to miss the opening ceremony as she had her first-round match on July 27. She caught up with the ceremony after the match and lavished praise on Dion's performance.

"Just watched the opening ceremony (I know, I'm always late with these things). Hopefully I'll stop crying before the next match. The Flame, last moments...I just can't. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. You have no idea how much you inspire @celinedion," Swiatek wrote.

Evert, on the other hand, labeled the legendary singer a 'hero'.

"The real champion/ hero/ star of the @Olympics Opening Ceremony was @celinedion Breathtaking performance," Evert said.

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Iga Swiatek heavy favorite to win gold at Paris Olympics 2024

Iga Swiatek at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Source: Getty)

Iga Swiatek is the frontrunner to clinch the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as the event will be played on the clay courts at Roland Garros. This is a familiar hunting ground for the Pole, who has won four titles here, with three coming back to back.

Swiatek won her first match against Irina Camelia Begu of Romania. She got off to a great start, winning the first set 6-2. However, the second set proved more challenging as Begu fought back to serve for the set. Undeterred, Swiatek showcased her clay-court mastery, breaking back and ultimately securing the set 7-5 to clinch the match.

The World No. 1 will next play the winner of the match between Argentine Nadia Podoroska and French Diane Parry. She could face Linda Noskova in the third round, while her quarterfinal opponent could be one of Jelena Ostapenko or Danielle Collins.

The semifinal could see a potential matchup against Emma Navarro or Karolina Muchova, and in the final, she could face World No. 2 Coco Gauff.