"If I play against Rafael Nadal, I would surely ask him for t-shirt": Iga Swiatek endorses Pedro Cachin's gesture after his Madrid 3R loss to Spaniard

Iga Swiatek recently waded into the discourse created after Pedro Cachin asked for Rafael Nadal for a souvenir following their match at the 2024 Madrid Open.

Pedro Cachin faced Rafael Nadal in the third round of the 2024 Madrid Open on April 29. Nadal, a five-time Madrid Open champion, had been in excellent touch in Caja Magica and defeated Darwin Blanch and Alex de Minaur in straight sets to open his campaign. Cachin gave the Spaniard a tough fight as he came back from a set down to force a decider.

Nadal ultimately prevailed in the contest 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-3 to book his berth in the fourth round. After the match, Cachin and Nadal had a heartful exchange at the net as the duo shared a warm embrace. The Argentine took the opportunity to ask Nadal, one of his idols, for a souvenir. The 22-time Grand Slam champion happily obliged and gave Cachin one of his T-shirts.

Pedro Cachin's action stoked a heated online debate on whether he should have asked for a shirt from his rival after the match, a custom in soccer matches, and WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek chimed in on the debate after her quarterfinal win at the Madrid Open.

Iga Swiatek faced No. 11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia and came back from a set down to dispatch the Brazilian 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. In her post-match press conference, the Pole was asked if she had ever thought of getting a special memento from her opponent after her matches, like Cachin.

The 22-year-old candidly responded, saying that if she got an opportunity to play against Nadal, she too would ask for his t-shirt, in a way supporting Cachin's action. However, Swiatek said that she was aware that it was not possible for her to face the Spanish legend on a tennis court.

“Hmm. Not really, but if I would play against Rafa, for sure I would ask for a T-shirt. (Laughter.) But that's not possible (smiling),” Swiatek said.

Rafael Nadal bows out of Madrid Open in 4R, Iga Swiatek reached SF

Iga Swiatek pictured at Madrid Open

Rafael Nadal's journey at the 2024 Madrid Open came to an end on April 30 as he lost to No. 30 seed Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round. The 37-year-old was playing his last ever Madrid Open and was impressive in his early-round matches. However, Lehecka proved to be a bridge too far for the Spaniard as he was defeated in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.

Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek has continued her good run at the Madrid Open and reached her second straight semifinal at the WTA 1000 tournament. As the top seed, she faced no trouble in sweeping aside Wang Xiyu, Sorana Cirstea, and Sara Sorribes Tormo to reach the quarterfinals.

Swiatek faced No. 11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the quarterfinals and dropped her first set in the tournament. She regrouped quite well in the second set to bagel the Brazilian and quashed her challenge in the third set.

Iga Swiatek will next face No. 18 seed Madison Keys in the semifinals in Madrid. The American also came back from a set down in her quarterfinal contest against former Madrid Open champion Ons Jabeur.