Iga Swiatek’s career has hit a few speed bumps lately, and the tennis world is watching closely. Since parting ways with her long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, the Polish star has been on the hunt for the right fit—someone who can help her regain that winning edge. But despite all the buzz, Swiatek has yet to reveal her next move, keeping fans and experts alike in suspense. Amid the swirling speculation, renowned tennis commentator and co-host of the BreakPoint podcast, Marek Furjan, has weighed in with an interesting point—one that even includes the legendary Rafael Nadal and Martina Navratilova. 

Furjan engaged in an interaction in the Misja Sport program and deliberated on a wide range of aspects pertaining to Swiatek’s challenges. He also discussed the rumors and suggestions that are floating in for the Polish player, suggesting she might join forces with Rafael Nadal, and dished out the possibilities, sharing a unique perspective. 

Speaking in the interview, Furjan said, “A mentor will not function without a coach. Many people write in the comments: oh, so since Rafa Nadal is ending his career, maybe he should become a coach – because of the similarities in their tennis.” Remember, Nadal shared a video message on October 10 and announced that he would bid adieu to the tennis world after the end of the Davis Cup in November. Since then, the questions about his plans have been making rounds with some suggesting that he might join Swiatek and help her overcome her challenges. However, this seems unlikely to Furjan. 

Continuing further in the interview, he said, “There is no chance for such a coach. It has to be someone who perfectly knows the process of managing a tennis player, training, and moments in the season. Martina Navratilova is also mentioned, but she no longer functions as a coach. As another person in the team, but not as a coach who has to keep it all in check.” He also shared that unless Swiatek would be looking for a duo in her team, it would not be possible to witness him in her team, which otherwise would also take a toll on the player financially. A major factor behind these rumors is the admiration that the Polish star has depicted for Rafa in the past.

Remember, Swiatek has always termed Nadal as her idol. As soon as the World No. 1 qualified for the finals of the French Open, several people compared her to the legend. When asked about her opinion on this, she said, “I would never expect anybody to compare me to Rafa because for me he’s above everybody, and he’s a total legend.” And this admiration was witnessed even when Nadal announced his retirement. 

When Iga Swiatek shared an emotional note for Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal’s retirement sent a shockwave to the entire community. Several players and experts shared their sentiments revealing that Nadal’s retirement would leave a void in the arena. A similar reaction was witnessed from Iga Swiatek as well who shared what the player meant to her. 

Sharing a video for the legendary player, Swiatek said, “I wanted just to speak about my appreciation and what your career meant to me because you were and still are the biggest inspiration that I ever had in tennis.” At just 23 years of age, Iga Swiatek has already clinched four Grand Slam titles, an impressive feat that reflects Nadal’s own accomplishments at the same age. The Pole revealed how Nadal has fueled the fire in her belly. “The reason why sometimes I got extra motivated, I kept pushing myself,” she shared passionately.

While the star player is preparing to return to the WTA Finals to be held in Riyadh in November, it would be interesting to see how soon can she come out of her challenging period. Will she actually consider partnering with Nadal? Well, only time will tell.