Iga Swiatek has revealed her admiration for 21-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal and shared how she views the Spanish great as a tennis idol.
Swiatek has produced some electrifying tennis in the early stages of the 2022 campaign. The Polish youngster has shot to the top of the WTA rankings following five title wins and a 28-match winning streak stretching back to mid-February.
Just like Nadal, Swiatek has recently started showing signs of greatness on clay courts. The 21-year-old went all the way at the Stuttgart Open before defending her Italian Open title this season, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final and completing the competition without dropping a set.
Meanwhile, Nadal is showing that age is just a number in 2022 as the Spanish veteran started his season with a 21-match winning run. Moreover, the 35-year-old notched his 21st Grand Slam title in January, defeating Daniil Medvedev at Melbourne Park.
Nadal is certainly one of the best players to ever step on the tennis court, and many discuss whether he, Novak Djokovic, or Roger Federer is the greatest of all time.
While the view on this topic is very subjective, WTA star Swiatek told the Tennis Channel that she has a very clear view of who the best men's player in the world is.
"Nadal is the greatest of all time in tennis right now. He has some superpowers, just never gives up. He is the perfect role model."
While there can be lengthy discussions about whether Nadal, Djokovic, or Federer is the best men's player of all time, there is no doubt that Swiatek is leading the WTA's best for 2022.
The Polish star will be looking to add a second Roland Garros title to her trophy cabinet this year after she became the youngest ranked player since Monica Seles to win the clay-court Grand Slam in 2020.