Iga Swiatek urged to follow Rafael Nadal’s example after training session

Iga Swiatek has been stepping up her preparations for the clay-court season by hitting the courts with Rafael Nadal.

Swiatek parted ways with Wim Fissette after a tough run on hard courts, and she’s now looking to move forward from that spell.

Her offseason included training sessions with Nadal at his academy, and she’s also brought in his former coach Francisco Roig to join her team.

Both moves could prove useful as Swiatek aims for her first title of 2026. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Rick Macci sharing his thoughts on the new partnership during a recent appearance on the Match Point Canada podcast.

Swiatek backed to learn from Nadal’s mindset

Macci, who worked with Serena Williams early in her career, shared his thoughts on X: “Every word from Rafa is a gold nugget because on the dirt he is the best of the best that ever held the stick.

“Where he can flip the Iga script is not so much strategically but mentally.

“If the Polish Punisher can get her identity back between the ears she will come all the way back.”

Nadal’s insight could be invaluable for Swiatek, especially when it comes to navigating matches on clay. The King of Clay collected 14 titles at Roland Garros and holds a level of dominance on clay that’s unmatched.

Swiatek’s own track record backs up her potential. She’s already claimed four French Open titles by age 24 and knows how to handle herself on the surface.

Macci tells Iga Swiatek to keep a positive mindset

While she hasn’t quite reached Nadal’s level, Swiatek has already built an impressive legacy of her own at Roland Garros.

She’s become the standout player in Paris, winning all four of her finals at the French Open and establishing herself as the one to beat on clay.

Sharing his thoughts on Swiatek before her upcoming clay campaign, Macci posted on X: “Iga knows what she can and cannot do.

“Men’s tennis and women’s tennis are very different. If she grinds more and stays in the crosscourt longer is a band aid.

“The top players can change the direction much easier than five years ago and take control.

“The Punisher has the game and has the feet, just stay super positive and on clay she is tough to beat.”

The talent is there for Swiatek to win again at Roland Garros, but with a slow start to 2026 and issues away from the court, it won’t be straightforward this time around.

She’s yet to lift a trophy this year, holding a 12-6 record that has seen her drop down to fourth in the rankings. Adding to that challenge is the strength of her competition. Players like Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have strong histories on clay as well.

Coco Gauff led all players in clay-court wins last year, capping off her run with a comeback victory over Sabalenka in their final meeting at Roland Garros. That kind of form makes her another serious threat heading into this year’s event.

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