"Nadal inspired me to stay humble, Steffi Graf for her pursuit of excellence, Serena & Venus Williams for shaping our game" - Iga Swiatek on her idols

Iga Swiatek recently spoke in brief about some of her tennis idols, which included the likes of Rafael Nadal and Steffi Graf.

Swiatek had an unceremonious end to her bid for the Sunshine Double this year. While the World No. 1 won the BNP Paribas Open earlier this month without dropping a set, she didn't enjoy as seamless a campaign at the Miami Open. She exited the WTA 1000 tournament in the fourth round after losing to 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Iga Swiatek recently sat down for an interview with Tennis365, where she was asked about some of the past and present players she looked up to in her early years. In response, the Pole mentioned Rafael Nadal, Steffi Graf, Serena and Venus Williams.

While the 22-year-old maintained that Nadal was her idol owing to his work ethic and grounded nature, she was drawn towards Graf due to the German's approach to tennis. Swiatek also praised the Williams sisters for their influence on the sport.

"Rafael Nadal was my idol from a very young age and inspired me to work hard and stay humble. Steffi Graf for her pursuit of excellence and intense presence on court," Iga Swiatek said.

"Serena and Venus Williams for shaping our game in the way we [play] it today and changing it on so many levels," she added.

---

Iga Swiatek to start her clay season at Stuttgart Open

Iga Swiatek poses with the 2023 Stuttgart Open title

Iga Swiatek recorded impressive results in the post-Australian Open hardcourt swing, winning titles at Indian Wells and Doha. The World No. 1's next tournament campaign will come at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart (April 13-21), where she is the defending champion.

The WTA 500 promises to be a cracker of an event, with top players like Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina on the roster. Swiatek beat Sabalenka in the final of the last two editions of the tournament.

The Pole will then be eager to do well at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open later during the European claycourt swing. She is yet to reign supreme in Madrid, having dropped last year's final to Sabalenka in three sets.

Swiatek, however, can take respite in her Italian Open credentials. The World No. 1 is a two-time winner at the 1000-level event (2021 and 2022). However, she didn't enjoy a good campaign in Rome last year, retiring midway through her quarterfinal match against eventual winner Elena Rybakina.