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‘I Don’t Know if It’s a Friendship’ – Iga Swiatek on Her Relationship With Rafael Nadal

Published 03/20/2022, 11:48 PM EDT

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Iga Swiatek is living her dream this season. She’s on an incredible winning streak, with an 11 match unbeaten run. In the process, she has clinched back-to-back titles in Doha and Indian Wells. Earlier today, the Polish defeated Maria Sakkari in straight sets 6-4, 6-1 to lift her maiden Indian Wells Masters title. Further, the win has enabled her to reach the Number 2 spot on the WTA ranking chart.

It was a thoroughly dominating performance by Swiatek who is in the form of her life. She was ruthless in her display as she lifted her second title of the season. After the match, Iga Swiatek reflected upon her win over Sakkari. Additionally, she opened up on Rafael Nadal’s influence in her career.

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Iga Swiatek on Rafael Nadal

The two players greeted each other as Swiatek left the court after her match and Nadal entered the court to play against Taylor Fritz. Speaking on how their friendship has evolved over the years, Swiatek said, “I don’t know if it’s a friendship, honestly being able to talk to him is still an amazing experience for me. It is a dream come true, for sure. He’s a huge inspiration, especially his Australian Open final that I watched from the stands, he was unbelievable.”

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Further, she added, “He is a guy who never gives up. I would want to have the same amount of belief in myself, and really keep pushing no matter what. So I think he is a role model for many people, you know. But for me, I’m just his huge fan.”

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While Swiatek won the summit clash, Rafael Nadal fell short in the final hurdle as Taylor Fritz lifted the Indian Wells 2022 title. The American tennis star was brilliant from start to finish as he won the biggest title of his career.

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WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams’ Unforgettable Moments at the Australian Open

Swiatek would be gearing up for the Miami Open starting later this week. On the other hand, Nadal has pulled out of the tournament to rest and regroup ahead of the upcoming clay-court season.

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Written by:

Vatsal Shah

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Vatsal Shah is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in engineering, he is a die hard fan of tennis and sports in general. He is an ardent follower of Rafael Nadal and is inspired by his never-say-die attitude.
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Edited by:

Niranjan Deodhar