Madrid Open: Iga Swiatek Whole-Heartedly Protects Idol Rafael Nadal Amid Growing Expectations After Win Against Darwin Blanch

Iga Swiatek took a stand for his idol, Rafael Nadal, once again! Nadal, who has been battling with injuries lately, made a comeback on the clay court after a long hiatus. However, Nadal previously said that he is not 100% ready to play, and has hinted about his retirement after the season. So, to support him in his decision, Iga Swiatek has requested fans respect his move and “take it calmly.”

It is no secret that World No. 1 is a big fan of Rafael Nadal. Although there is nothing greater than having the experience of watching his idol play on the court, Swiatek does not want the former world No. 1 to suffer because of his injuries. Rafael Nadal recently confirmed that he is playing in the Madrid Open tournament for the last time in his career. And he has even reached the second round of the match after his latest victory over 16-year-old Darwin Blanch. However, Iga Swiatek wants people to be understanding towards Nadal and not pressure him amid his struggles.

“I don’t want to talk about whether this will be Nadal’s last game or tournament because it’s his decision, and it’s being hard for him. It’s very professional. But I don’t know how my brain would respond to knowing that I’m playing my last game,” Swiatek said in a recent interview.

Addressing the hip injuries that had compelled him to stay out of tennis for a long time, Iga Swiatek further hoped that the pressure of doing “spectacular” did not come in between his health. “I just want people to take it calmly and let him do it his way. People expect him to do something spectacular, but, honestly, Rafa has to take care of himself, and I hope he does.”

This is not the first time that Swiatek has mentioned her concern for the Spaniard. Even last year, while Nadal was taking a break from tennis, Swiatek stated that she did not want his idol to ‘suffer’ more.

“Suffering a lot,” stated Swiatek about his idol, Rafael Nadal

Last year, due to an injury to his psoas muscle, Rafael Nadal withdrew from tournaments like Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid. And soon, fans started worrying about whether they would see him play in the French Open. But even at that moment, instead of addressing his professional commitments, Iga Swiatek expressed her desire to not see him suffer due to his growing injuries.

“I don’t want to, like, see him suffering a lot. I’m kind of like biased. Because I would love to see him play; but on the other hand, I know if he’s going to really, like, suffer, it’s not going to be so fun to see him like that,” Swiatek said in an interview.

She further added, “I just hope he’s going to be kind of be healthy and happy. That’s like the main goal no matter what happens with tennis.” Sadly, Nadal failed to make it to the French Open last year, missing it for the first time in 19 years.

But this time, fans are hopeful about seeing him win back the title after almost two years. Everyone is closely following Rafael Nadal’s next move, however, Swiatek’s viewpoint provides a more humane perspective on the story of tennis’s biggest icons.