Iga Swiatek opts for rest ahead of French Open as Rafael Nadal errs other way by playing Madrid Open

Iga Swiatek has made absolutely no secret of her Rafael Nadal fandom. She stuck around in Melbourne earlier this year to watch him win the Australian Open. She has admitted she cried when he lost to Novak Djokovic at the French Open last year.

Swiatek has called Nadal her “idol” and says she is trying to follow his approach to the game. But this week Swiatek is going her own way, opting out of the Madrid Open as Nadal plans his comeback from injury at the event. Ad/> The women’s world No.

1 cited a right shoulder injury as the reason for pulling out of the tournament. The problem does not seem serious – “it's not like we have some drama because everything is okay” – and the move appears largely to be precautionary, and understandable. Swiatek has played a lot of tennis in the first quarter of the year, largely because she has won so many matches.

She has won her last 23 in a row, lifting four titles across three continents and only, she says, having “two days to chill out” after each event. ATP MadridA hero’s welcome for Nadal, and a heart-to-heart with Halep – Madrid Open diary11 HOURS AGO There must have been a temptation to keep going, to continue to play the hot hand. Presumably Swiatek was considering it as she travelled to Madrid after winning the Stuttgart Open on Sunday and only announced her withdrawal a few days before her scheduled first match.

“Right now I feel like this is the best decision for us to get ready for Rome and have the peak of my form in Roland Garros,” said Swiatek, who hands over top-seed duties to home favourite and new world No. 2 Paula Badosa. Madrid Diary: Studious Osaka picking up Nadal tips Raducanu opens up on 'tough' split from coach Swiatek’s withdrawal may be a welcome relief for the