"I thought if he's going to win it, it is going to be really mind-blowing and he's going to show why he's Rafa" - Iga Swiatek on Rafael Nadal's 2022 Australian Open triumph
Iga Swiatek recently lavished praise on Rafael Nadal and his uncanny knack for grinding out results in crunch situations. Swiatek remarked that even when the Spaniard was down by two sets in the final of the 2022 Australian Open, she expected him to come out on top and show the world "why he is Rafa."
During the final against Daniil Medvedev at Melbourne Park, the World No. 5 was on the brink of defeat before he pulled off a miraculous comeback in the last three sets. He went on to take the contest 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 and become the first man in history to win 21 Grand Slam titles. It is pertinent to note that it was the first time anyone had won an Australian Open final after overturning a two-set deficit.
@iga_swiatek gets her #DDFTennis campaign off to a flyer with a win over Kasatkina!Irresistible Iga ✊
🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek gets her #DDFTennis campaign off to a flyer with a win over Kasatkina! https://t.co/9qXvxtxPQw
Among the prominent names who had turned up in person to watch history being made in Melbourne was Swiatek, who is a long-time Nadal fan. Recalling the experience during her press conference at the Dubai Tennis Championships, the World No. 9 remarked that it was "amazing" to watch two of the best players in the world play a match for the ages.
The 20-year-old regarded the eventual result of the match as a testament to the 21-time Grand Slam champion's grit and determination, something he has showcased time and again over the years.
"I thought if he's going to win [the 2022 Australian Open], it's going to be really mind-blowing and he's going to show why he's Rafa, why he won so many Grand Slams," Swiatek said. "It was amazing [to watch the match]."
In case you didn't know, @iga_swiatek is a big @RafaelNadal fan 😎
#AusOpen · #AO2022 https://t.co/Fk2pMJA5xo
Iga Swiatek reckoned that the World No. 2 looked very confident at the beginning of the encounter, which led her to think that it would be difficult for Nadal to get a hold on the match.
The Pole also pointed out that the 21-time Grand Slam champion was not helped by the little mistakes he made early on. But Swiatek was glad that he snapped the habit before it was too late.
"It was really inspiring because during the match I felt different emotions. At the beginning I thought it was going to be pretty hard for [Nadal], playing that way to get the score around to actually start winning with Daniil being so confident going forward," Swiatek said. "He also made some little mistakes. You could see after his reactions that he was trying to fight through it."
"Rafael Nadal is 10 years older than Daniil Medvedev, but in the end he was the one who was stronger in the important moments" - Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek was even more impressed by the physical strength Rafael Nadal displayed on the night. The contest lasted five hours and 24 minutes, and Swiatek was amazed at how the 35-year-old managed to outlast his much younger opponent in Daniil Medvedev.
Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev to win record 21st Grand Slam title. Take a look at all the 21 titles
#Nadal 21st Grand Slam Grand Slam Daniil Medvedev https://t.co/peW4EzXKhI
She noted how the Big 3 have repeatedly shown over the years that they are capable of prevailing over younger opponents in Grand Slams. The former Roland Garros winner wondered if it could be because of the "amazing" preparation they put into their training sessions.
"Only a few players can do [what Nadal did]. Daniil is 24, Rafa is 10 years older. In the end he was the one who was stronger in the important moments. Physically as well. It's amazing," Swiatek said. "Also, it shows that even though the Big-3 are older than other players that are coming up, physically they can win these five-set matches. Their preparation must be amazing."