Iga Swiatek Admits She Randomly Watches Rafael Nadal’s Videos for Seeking Inspiration

Iga Swiatek is seeking a second WTA Finals title, and has opened her campaign with a win.

Iga Swiatek Admits She Randomly Watches Rafael Nadal’s Videos for Seeking Inspiration

Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Rafael Nadal, The Tennis Letter)

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Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek has been an inspiration to many young tennis players around the world. Still in the early stages of her career, she has already won six Grand Slam titles and a WTA Finals crown.

Despite her own success, Swiatek has never hidden her admiration for Rafael Nadal. She mentioned that even after the Spanish legend’s retirement a year ago, she still watches his matches and highlights. Swiatek said in an interview at Riyadh:

What I took from Rafa is the way he never gave up… Honestly I really miss Rafa. I’ve been watching videos randomly. I’m like I wish I could see this live again. Glad I had a chance to play tennis at the same time as him so I could experience it & find some inspiration.

Swiatek has been a devoted fan of Nadal for many years. She was in the crowd at Roland Garros earlier this year to attend the emotional ceremony held in his honor.

Nadal retired from professional tennis in October last year. The Spaniard played his final match while representing his country in the Davis Cup.

Iga Swiatek sends warning to the rest of the stars at the WTA Finals

Second seed Iga Swiatek opened her WTA Finals campaign with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over Madison Keys on day one in Riyadh. The Polish star showed her dominance from the first game and never looked back.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (via Punto de Break)

The second seed earned her 62nd win of the season, the most on tour in 2025. She also extended her head-to-head advantage over Keys to 7-2. Swiatek is chasing her second WTA Finals title after winning the trophy in Cancun two years ago. The victory reinforced her status as one of the most consistent players on tour.

Keys returned to the year-end championships for the first time since 2016. Both players are in the Serena Williams Group, along with Amanda Anisimova and Elena Rybakina, who later defeated Anisimova in Riyadh.

Jannik Sinner joins Rafael Nadal in an elite category

World No.2 Jannik Sinner secured his place in his first-ever Paris Masters final with a straight-sets victory over Alexander Zverev. Despite battling physical issues throughout the tournament, the World No. 2 handled the German with ease.

Jannik Sinner (2)
Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

Zverev appeared off his rhythm, which allowed Sinner to take full control of the match. The Italian quickly sealed the win to set up a final clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime. During the semifinal, Sinner achieved a milestone last seen more than a decade ago. He won the first set 6-0, marking the first time in over 12 years that an ATP Masters 1000 semifinal ended with that scoreline.

The last player to do so was Rafael Nadal at the 2013 Madrid Open, when he beat Pablo Andújar in straight sets. Sinner, who hasn’t dropped a set all week, has also defeated Zizou Bergs, Francisco Cerundolo, and Ben Shelton on his way to the final.

Also Read: Iga Swiatek Underlines Key Reason Why 2025 has been a Successful Year for her