Five trips, four titles, 42 wins: Swiatek’s Roland Garros empire looks familiar

No one’s matching Rafael Nadal’s legacy just yet, but Iga Swiatek’s clay-court path is beginning to resemble his in all the right ways.

A rare spectator on Court Philippe Chatrier, Iga Swiatek sat with great anticipation, her “Merci Rafa” shirt the color of red clay.

It was opening day at Roland Garros and Swiatek was on hand to help celebrate the legend of 14-time champion Rafael Nadal.

“This is difficult for me,” he told the adoring crowd. “To have enjoyed, suffered, won, lost. Above all, [I’m] emotional that I had the chance to play here.”

Swiatek, who idolizes Nadal and has patterned so much of her big, bouncy game after his, was emotional, too.

“I wouldn’t call it a serious crying, but for sure there were tears,” Swiatek told reporters later. “I think twice during the ceremony, but I really tried to hold it together so I don’t look that bad.

“Yeah, it was amazing ceremony. I’m happy that also the whole tennis world had opportunity to kind of come together and just thank him. Because we all should be grateful for everything that he has done.”

Swiatek has reason to be particularly grateful, for his unprecedented example in Paris is the legacy she aspires to -- and, early on, has largely fulfilled. And while no one would burden her with the greatest single-Grand Slam record of any player, you might be surprised how closely she has tracked with Nadal at Roland Garros.

Heading into Thursday’s hugely anticipated semifinal match with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek has posted 26 consecutive victories at the French Open -- she hasn’t lost here in nearly four years.

If she wins her next two matches, Swiatek will have five Roland Garros titles and a staggering record of 42-2. After seven visits to Roland Garros, Nadal was 45-1 with six titles.

By beating Sabalenka, something she’s done eight times in 12 tries, Swiatek would surpass Margaret Court for the highest winning percentage by a woman at Roland Garros in the Open Era, a ludicrous .953. Only two men have done better -- Nadal (.966) and Bjorn Borg (.961).

Swiatek vs. Sabalenka: A look back at the rivalry ahead of the Roland Garros semifinal

Still, it feels strange to see a No. 5 seed next to Swiatek’s name. It’s there because of uncharacteristically scratchy play in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.

And then the day after her 24th birthday, Swiatek lost eight of the first nine games in her fourth-round match against Elena Rybakina. It looked like confirmation for the skeptics, but Swiatek defied them by rallying to win in three sets.

Her forehand, anticipation, the fluidity of her footwork all conspire beautifully on the terre battue, the beaten earth of Roland Garros.

“I should always push until the end and fight for everything, because there’s more probably that I overcome some stuff rather than in other places,” Swiatek said later. “I just maybe believe it a little bit more.”

That 26-match win streak here is the second best by a woman in the Open Era. A title would leave her only one behind seven-time champion Chris Evert’s 29. Nadal, of course, won 39 straight from 2010-15.

“It’s not only what he does on the court, which everybody sees not giving up, winning matches, when he’s started from being in trouble and you see that his game is not working, but then he pushes through it and then he manages to win,” Swiatek said. “But off the court, as well, like the way he treats people.

“You could see that he was in tears [Sunday] when the Roland Garros staff came out on the court. You can see that this was important for him, showing gratitude to other people and being grateful for their work.”

Swiatek shared a story from 2021, after Nadal lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic. The day after the defeat, Swiatek spotted him having breakfast at the Paris Novotel. Devastated by his loss, she asked him how he was feeling.

“He was chill,” Swiatek said. “He’s 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?’

“So sometimes where you’re lost, it’s nice to look at him to see how much clearer his goals are . Yeah, again, how tennis is simple for him.”

Professional tennis is rarely simple, but Swiatek continues to emulate the Spanish champion. Informed by Nadal’s philosophy and vision, she carries it forward.

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