Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek chooses the greatest player of all time

Iga Swiatek has become one of the most dominant players in tennis. The Polish star won her first five Grand Slam finals, becoming the first woman to do so since Monica Seles, and reached the world No. 1 ranking, holding the position for 125 weeks. As she continues to build her legacy, she has a clear GOAT she aims to emulate: Rafael Nadal.

Swiatek, known as the Queen of Clay, has never hidden her preference for Nadal in the GOAT debate. After winning the French Open in 2024—her fourth title and third consecutive victory in Paris—she explained how the Spaniard, a 14-time champion at Roland Garros, has been a major inspiration.

“Watching Rafa is always great. I just, you know, look at how he moves, how he plays. Obviously, he’s probably not at the same level as he was a few years ago, but he remains really inspiring, even with everything he’s been dealing with,” she said, referring to his injuries. “It must be pretty hard, but he endures it with such great elegance. He’s the GOAT for me,” she admitted.

In 2024, after Nadal announced his retirement from tennis, Swiatek paid tribute to him in a heartfelt video message. “You were and still are the biggest inspiration I ever had in tennis and the reason why I sometimes found extra motivation to keep pushing myself,” she said.

Rafael Nadal won a record of 14 French Open titles during his career (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“Thank you for that and for being such an amazing person off the court as well. Your humility is something you don’t often see among athletes who have achieved so much,” she added. “You’re someone who always stayed honest and true to yourself. Thank you for being a genuinely good person.”

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Swiatek reveals her best moments with Nadal

In a November 2024 interview with Tennis Channel, Swiatek recalled two special interactions with Nadal. “I remember we practiced at Roland Garros once. That was actually a gift for my birthday,” she said.

“We hit for about 15 minutes, and I realized just how down-to-earth and humble he is. That was the first time I really talked to him, so it was special,” she added. However, another moment that stood out was when she saw him after his 2021 French Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic.

Nadal and Swiatek played doubles together in an exhibition match at the 2022 US Open (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

“I saw him at the hotel and told him that I even cried when he lost. He was so calm and just said, ‘That’s just tennis. Life goes on, and there will be different goals in the future,’” she recalled.

“I thought, ‘Wow, this person really knows how to deal with losing, even at his favorite tournament.’ That moment made me realize that learning to handle setbacks off the court helps you become a better player on it,” she concluded.

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Nadal’s incredible achievements

Rafael Nadal, one of tennis’ greatest players, has won 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Open championships. He is one of only three men, alongside Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic, to complete the career Golden Slam by winning all four majors and Olympic gold. Nadal also secured 92 ATP titles, held the world No. 1 ranking for 209 weeks, and led Spain to multiple Davis Cup victories.