Iga Swiatek inspired by Nadal, walks into second round in 43 minutes

Iga Swiatek, the three-time defending French Open champion, launched her 2025 campaign with a determined victory over Slovakia's Rebecca Šramková on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Pole secured her 22nd consecutive French Open match win, prevailing 6-3, 6-3, as she aims for an astonishing fifth title in six years at Roland Garros.

Swiatek revealed that her opening performance was significantly uplifted by witnessing the emotional farewell tribute to 14-time champion Rafael Nadal on Sunday. "Seeing Rafa crying makes me more emotional," Swiatek admitted, sharing how being present for the ceremony, alongside defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz, deeply resonated with her. She expressed profound gratitude for Nadal's enduring influence, stating, "He is a huge inspiration. Even when he's not playing, even him being here yesterday inspired me a lot. Thanks Rafa."

This season marks a unique period for Swiatek, who, for the first time since 2020, arrived at the clay-court major without securing a WTA title in the first five months of the year, a factor contributing to her current world ranking of fifth. Despite this, her experience and determination shone through in her first-round clash. She had to fight through her initial service game against the 42nd-ranked Šramková, before winning the final three games of the first set to take the lead. In the second set, after an early break saw her concede the opening game, Swiatek immediately broke back to level at 3-3, then won the subsequent three games to clinch the match.

The victory sets up a highly anticipated second-round match against Britain's Emma Raducanu. Swiatek's ability to navigate early pressure points in her opening match suggests her readiness to defend her crown.

Adding further insight into Nadal's stoic mindset and its impact on her, Swiatek recounted a conversation with the Spanish legend in Paris in 2021. After Nadal’s semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic that year – a tournament where Swiatek’s own title defense ended in the quarter-finals – she recalled asking him about his feelings. "He was chill," Swiatek recounted. "He was like, 'oh, it's just a tennis match. I'll get many more chances.' I was like, what? Why am I crying if he's not crying?" This anecdote highlights Nadal's remarkable resilience and ability to compartmentalize, a trait that clearly continues to inspire Swiatek as she navigates her own path to Grand Slam glory.