World No 1 Iga Swiatek admitted that it was very inspiring to witness Rafael Nadal’s stunning comeback in the 2022 Australian Open final. In this year’s Australian Open final, Nadal had his back turned against the wall as Daniil Medvedev was up by two sets, had a 3-2 lead in the third set and three consecutive break points in the sixth game.
Nadal saved all of those three consecutive break points and ended up clinching a 2-6 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 win to win his 21st Grand Slam title. Swiatek, who captured two Grand Slam titles this year and became the world No 1, was in the stands during the Australian Open final.
“Rafa is my idol, I feel like I’ve learnt a lot (from him). I was lucky to watch his final of the Australian Open this year and the way he comes back, when I thought it was going to be impossible, is pretty amazing,” Swiatek told Life & Leisure.
Swiatek on her evolution as a player
Even before the 2022 season, Swiatek was Grand Slam champion and a top-10 player. But this year, Swiatek elevated her game to a completely new level and became the most dominant player in the women’s game.
“It’s hard to pinpoint just one thing because, besides getting better at tennis and developing as a player, I have also grown up. This year showed me that I can actually handle more pressure than I thought and that I can be consistent even on the highest level, and I worked really hard to achieve that.
Having support around you and the team is a big part of our sport, even though it’s an individual sport. And my family, when my career has grown so fast, they’re the people who balance it and I feel like I’m still the same Iga,” Swiatek explained.
