Iga Świątek isn’t wasting a single minute ahead of the European clay-court swing. Just hours after confirming a massive coaching shakeup, the six-time Grand Slam champion was spotted training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca alongside her childhood idol.
Rafael Nadal’s Mentorship Shapes Iga Świątek’s Comeback Plan
The sight of Świątek and Nadal sharing a practice court in Mallorca is a terrifying prospect for the rest of the WTA Tour. The Polish superstar was seen training at the clay court under the watchful eyes of the former world No. 1, who announced his retirement in 2024.
The two were also seen having an animated chat on the sidelines of the training court.
Coach Rafa! 😍
🎬 chiaracarnelutti / Instagram
📸 visionsports_official/ Instagram pic.twitter.com/Da0f7pRz2w— Ewa (@Strzewa91) April 2, 2026
Świątek has never hidden her admiration for the 22-time major champion. She grew up idolizing him. She watched his matches religiously. Now, she relies on him as an informal sounding board when her career hits a rough patch.
Rumors circulated for days that Nadal directly brokered the deal between Świątek and Roig. Świątek refused to confirm those reports, protecting her mentor’s privacy during a recent interview with Sport.pl.
“Help from someone so experienced, in fact, the best, the GOAT, is obviously a wonderful opportunity and I’ll take advantage of it whenever I can,” Świątek said. “Rafa is very open. He’s a great guy. The very fact that I have his number and can get in touch with him is a great honor for me.”
She added that whether Nadal helped her pick a coach or not is a detail she wants to keep between them. She made it clear she didn’t want to put him in an awkward position.
Świątek Bets on Francisco Roig to Fix Early 2026 Slump
Świątek announced on Thursday that she is bringing Francisco Roig into her camp. The 58-year-old Spanish coach spent 17 years in Rafael Nadal’s coaching box, helping engineer one of the most dominant runs in sports history.
The world No. 4 made the partnership public on Instagram, posting a photo with Roig and writing: “Welcome to the team, Francisco! Very excited for this new chapter.”
This move comes after a frustrating start to the 2026 season. Świątek hasn’t advanced past the quarterfinals in any of her four tournament appearances this year. The tipping point arrived last month in Florida. A shocking second-round loss to compatriot Magda Linette at the Miami Open prompted Świątek to end her 15-month partnership with Wim Fissette.
Roig brings a wealth of tactical discipline. He served as Nadal’s assistant coach from 2005 to 2022. He knows exactly how to build and maintain a clay-court juggernaut.
Since leaving Nadal’s camp, Roig has bounced around the WTA and ATP tours. He spent a few months working with Emma Raducanu in late 2025 before a brief stint with French prospect Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Roig reportedly ended his partnership with Mpetshi Perricard after just one month to accept the job with Świątek.
The Świątek-Roig era will begin with the Stuttgart Open, scheduled to commence on April 13.
