"Honestly, I am always gonna cheer for Rafael Nadal" - Women's tennis players pick their favorite to win Italian Open 2022

Picking a favorite between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic is one of the toughest tasks for fans and tennis players alike, ahead of a big tournament. However, some of the top women's tennis players, including Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu, took a shot at it as the 2022 Italian Open got underway in Rome.

Swiatek has always been vocal in her admiration for Nadal. She kept her loyalty towards her tennis idol intact as she picked him to defend his Italian Open title in 2022.

"Honestly, I am always gonna cheer for Rafa (Nadal), so I'm gonna say Rafa," Swiatek said without hesitation.

The WTA World No. 1 was joined by Raducanu, who also picked Nadal as her favorite for the title, given his dominance in Rome over the years.

"I'm backing Rafa on clay in Rome," Raducanu said with a smile.

Rafael Nadal is a 10-time winner of the Italian Open and defeated one of his biggest rivals, Novak Djokovic, in last year's final.

Meanwhile, Djokovic found backing from Madrid champion Ons Jabeur, who feels the Serb is the favorite for the title. WTA World No. 5 Anett Kontaveit also chipped in, opining that Djokovic's form during the Madrid Masters should help him in Rome. The Serb made the semifinals in Madrid and has improved with every match since his return.

"I'd say Djokovic," Jabeur said.

I think we also saw Djokovic in good form in Madrid, so he's definitely a good contender," Kontaveit added.

Nadal and Djokovic will be eager to add another title to their respective trophy cabinets this. Djokovic currently leads the Masters 1000 race with 37 titles, while Nadal is just behind him with 36.

Rafael Nadal will aim for a strong run ahead of Roland Garros

Rafael Nadal plays a backhand during the 2022 Mutua Madrid Open

Thirteen-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal suffered an injury setback at a crucial stage in his 2022 campaign. After a brilliant start to the season, Nadal suffered a fractured rib ahead of the start of the claycourt season, missing two of his favorite tournaments in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona.

Nadal made a comeback last week at the Madrid Masters, where he was stunned by teenage superstar and compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

The courts in Madrid are quite different to those seen at the French Open, so Nadal will not be too bothered by the result and will fancy his chances at the Italian Open this week. He's stressed that getting a good amount of game time in Rome will be a positive step towards his ultimate goal of hitting his peak at Roland Garros.

Nadal will square off against Denis Shapovalov in the Round of 16 on Thursday.

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Also Check Out :-Italian Open 2022 Schedule