Iga Swiatek defeated compatriot Magda Linette 6-4, 6-4 in the third round of the 2026 French Open on May 29. After the match, she spoke about insights gained from training with Rafael Nadal ahead of the tournament.
Swiatek credited Nadal with teaching her about the mental challenges in tennis. “He’s showing it’s not always easy. It’s like on TV when he lifts his trophy, there’s a lot behind the scenes,” she said. She added that even top players struggle and that Nadal’s approach was to overcome difficulties without giving up.
