Iga Swiatek is in Malaga this week for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, representing Poland. This event precedes the Davis Cup and the farewell of tennis legend Rafael Nadal, who will also be in Malaga. During a press conference leading up to the final women’s event of the season, Swiatek reflected on the retirement of her Spanish idol. She spoke about how Nadal, particularly his 14 French Open titles, has been a significant source of inspiration. Swiatek, who has already claimed four titles in Paris, is carving a similar path in her career.
Although a devoted fan, the WTA World No. 2 won’t be able to attend Nadal’s farewell event. “I will miss him on the court. I know it’s a good decision for him; he played so well for so many years and deserves to enjoy the next chapter of his life. I hope he finds goals that bring him happiness. He’s a great person, and I wish him all the best. I would have loved to attend his tournament, but I have to start my pre-season after this competition. Rafa had a huge influence on me, shaping my perspective on tennis and my career,” Swiatek shared.
Recently, Swiatek concluded her run at the WTA Finals in Riyadh with an elimination in the Orange Group. Having been overtaken by Aryna Sabalenka in the WTA rankings, the Polish star is navigating a challenging period but aims to regain form before her well-deserved break. Ahead of the year-end Masters in Saudi Arabia, she discussed areas for improvement with her coach Wim Fisette, including her serve, which she’s focused on refining over recent years. Swiatek admitted she doesn’t yet feel like a complete player and is exploring ways to add more variety to her game.
“Tactically, there’s a lot I can do to be more versatile on the court. Wim has good ideas, and we’ve been preparing for the Finals, but we’ll focus on significant changes during the pre-season,” she explained.
She also emphasized the importance of planning for a sustainable career. “It’s a long-term journey if I want to have a balanced and enduring career. In the future, I’ll need to make tough decisions, like skipping some tournaments to perform my best at the Grand Slams. Novak is a great example of this approach,” Swiatek noted.
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