“The most important thing is that I’m enjoying playing”: Iga Swiatek searches for balance on clay

Which results in a brand new query for Iga this spring: Can she convey her 2025 perspective about grass to her 2026 matches on clay? Can she get herself to really feel much less stress on a floor the place she was as soon as anticipated to win each time she performed?

In courtroom, the decision is nonetheless out. Swiatek misplaced to Mirra Andreeva in Stuttgart, was unwell in Madrid, and was topsy-turvy in opposition to McNally.

Off courtroom, although, she could have employed the suitable particular person to assist her along with her specific drawback. Francisco Roig, her new coach, was additionally Nadal’s coach.

I’ve at all times thought that Nadal’s long-running clay dominance was, in a minimum of a method, underrated. You would possibly suppose that, as soon as he had established himself as the all time on grime, it might be simpler to maintain profitable on it. And it is true, Rafa’s opponents could not have been all that assured once they stepped onto a clay courtroom with him. But as Swiatek has came upon, profitable matches you are anticipated to win, again and again and over, yr after yr after yr, could be the hardest job of all. Every time Nadal performed on clay, he knew that, if he misplaced, it might be headline information. Yet he by no means let that stress get to him.