Iga Swiatek is slowly finding her rhythm on clay at the 2026 French Open. And according to her, Rafael Nadal deserves some of the credit for that progress.

Friday brought another straight-sets win for the Polish star. The 22-year-old defeated Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4. Later, she shared how training with Rafael Nadal helped shape her game.

“He’s showing it’s not always easy. It’s like on TV when he lifts his trophy, there’s a lot behind the scenes,” Iga Swiatek said in her post-match press conference.

Swiatek has been in touch with Rafael Nadal ahead of the French Open after changing coaches earlier this year. She moved on from Wim Fissette and began working with Francisco Roig following Fissette’s departure in March.

According to the Polish star, Nadal has helped her more with the mental side of the game than with technical advice.

Nadal’s perspective is particularly relevant given his history. Especially because, throughout his career, the Spaniard battled numerous injuries but continued finding ways to compete at the highest level.

"Even the best players in the world sometimes struggle. He used to get over it & never give up," Iga added.

One of Nadal's biggest challenges came after winning the 2005 French Open, when he was diagnosed with Müller-Weiss Syndrome. This was a foot condition that affected him for the rest of his career.

Despite warnings from doctors, Nadal kept playing and went on to win the French Open again in 2006.

Swiatek, who last won a clay-court title in 2024, has yet to lift a trophy in 2026.

She is now chasing a fifth Roland Garros crown and will next face Marta Kostyuk, who arrives on a 15-match winning streak after winning titles in Rouen and Madrid.

However, history favors Swiatek, who has won all three of their previous meetings.

Regardless, Swiatek has every reason to be optimistic. Several players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and more, have benefited from training alongside Rafael Nadal and gone on to achieve success.

Why Players Keep Turning to Rafael Nadal for Guidance?

Back in 2021, Carlos Alcaraz trained with Rafael Nadal ahead of the Australian Open. Afterwards, the young Spaniard shared a photo with his idol on social media and thanked him for the experience.

Reflecting on the session, the then-17-year-old said, “All players are good at training, but it is always more special to do it with your idol, which in my case is Rafa (Nadal). It was an unforgettable, unique experience that I will always keep.”

Casper Ruud, the Norwegian star, has been a long-time trainee at the Rafa Nadal Academy. He had Nadal as a frequent hitting partner.

He also went on to reach multiple Grand Slam finals and climbed to a career-high ranking of World No. 2.

Félix Auger-Aliassime also trained with the Spanish legend and went on to enjoy a strong 2020 season.

He reached the finals of the Rotterdam Open and Bett1Hulks Indoors, while also recording his best Grand Slam result at the time by reaching the fourth round of the US Open.

Similarly, Lorenzo Sonego, who went on to defeat Novak Djokovic in Vienna, and Emil Ruusuvuori, who enjoyed a breakthrough year, reaching the Astana Open semifinals, have trained with Nadal.

That said, do you think the guidance of Rafael Nadal can help Iga Swiatek win her fifth Roland Garros title this year?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Koushik Biswas