Former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion chooses the best female clay-court player ever

Rafael Nadal has long been recognized as the King of Clay, dominating Roland Garros with a record 14 titles. On the women’s side, the conversation about who holds that title has gained momentum. According to former doubles champion and doubles World No. 1 Todd Woodbridge, Iga Swiatek has established herself as the Queen of Clay.

Woodbridge, a 16-time Grand Slam doubles winner, believes Swiatek’s dominance on the surface puts her in the same category as some of the sport’s greatest players. “She is turning into the women’s version of Rafael Nadal on clay,” he told the official Australian Open website in 2024. He also compared her to Steffi Graf and Monica Seles, two legends known for their success on the surface.

“Her game is just so well suited to clay,” Woodbridge said. “But more than anything for me, it’s her ability to slide and move on the surface that is far better than any other female player, and if not, possibly up there with the best, alongside a Steffi Graf.”

Iga Swiatek’s record on clay

Woodbridge explained the elements of Swiatek’s game that make her difficult to beat on clay. “She has the best defense on a clay court of any female player currently, and then as soon as she can get back into neutral, with her forehand she has the best offense,” he said. “How do you beat that?”

Swiatek has won four Roland Garros ( Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

He also pointed out similarities between Swiatek and Seles, especially due to her mental strength. “If we go back in time and look at Monica, her concentration levels were incredible. Her ability to switch on from the first point, get momentum, and not lose it was as good as any player who has played the game,” he said. “That is a little of what Iga is bringing to this modern game.”

see also

He was World No. 4, beat Federer, Nadal and Djokovic but could never won a Grand Slam: ‘I’m at peace with myself’

Swiatek has won four Roland Garros titles, including three in a row, a feat previously achieved only by Seles and Justine Henin in the Open Era. With an 89% winning percentage on clay, she has proven to be the most dominant player on the surface in recent years.

In 2024, she completed the Madrid Open-Italian Open-French Open triple, something that nobody had achieved since Serena Williams did it in 2013. So, she is definetely up there as one of the greatest players on clay.