22-Year Old Iga Swiatek Finds an Inspiring Co-Incidence With Idol Rafael Nadal as She Bags Historic French Open Crown for the Third Time

World no.1 Iga Swiatek got the better of her opponent from the Czech Republic Karolina Muchova in the French Open final on Saturday. This hard-fought victory has earned her yet another Grand Slam. Now she has emulated Rafael Nadal’s record of winning four Grand Slams at the age of 22. However, there is a peculiar statistic that will surely garner the attention of not just Swiatek’s fans but the Polish sensation herself!

Tennis journalist Bastien Fachan posted an old picture of Nadal and Swiatek together on Twitter, along with the stat mentioned above as the caption.

The prodigies that are Swiatek and Nadal

Both are prodigies in the sport of tennis and only time can tell if Swiatek can reach the fame that Rafael Nadal achieved during his career. She is a decade and a half younger than her idol Nadal and still has plenty left to give in the sport. Both Swiatek and Nadal set the bar very high for other players. Swiatek has said in multiple interviews that she had idolized Nadal right from her budding years as a tennis player.

Now that she has won her fourth Grand Slam title, Swiatek has equaled one of her idol’s unique record. Well, she almost equaled it. Along with Rafa, she became one of the few to have won four major titles as a 22-year-old. The only difference is that Nadal won it when he was 22 years and 5 days old, while Swiatek won them when she was 22 years and 10 days old.

Anyone would agree that winning Grand Slams as a teenager is a mind-boggling achievement. Nadal won his first Grand Slam at the age of 19, while Swiatek bagged it at the 2020 French Open when she was the same age as Nadal. She did it without dropping a set and put on a totally dominant display. To subdue other players in this manner right at the start of their careers without much experience is certainly worthy of admiration.

READ MORE: ‘Totally Out of My Reach’- Chasing Glory at the French Open, Iga Swiatek Makes Startling Rafael Nadal Confession

Just like how Nadal is the king of clay on the ATP Tour, in recent years, Swiatek has stamped her authority on the surface in the women’s circuit. In her three finals in the Parisian clay, she has never lost even one of them and has proved to be a very daunting opponent.

Swiatek wants to focus on the present moment

When asked about if she can eclipse Nadal’s performance at the French Open in the press conference after her semifinal win, she had this to say, “I’m more of a person who just try to do her best every day and hope for the best. Like Rafa, what he did and what he’s still doing, it’s pretty amazing. I never kind of knew that it’s gonna be possible for me. So, it was totally out of my reach, if I can say that”.

Just like in any sport, longevity is very vital in tennis as well. It is the key to achieve a legendary status, to etch one’s name among the greats of the game. If not for their physical miseries, many tennis players could have achieved more in their careers. So, Swiatek should keep in mind all of these if she can climb up to the elite level of tennis players.

Winning one grand slam is in itself a big achievement and to have won 4 at the age of 22 makes her a legend already, but if she plans to go and press further, her main focus must be on fitness, more practice and proper diligence.

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