"Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic still play at this level at this age" - Iga Swiatek's father hails longevity of top-2 Grand Slam winners in men's tennis

Iga Swiatek has been very vocal about how her father Tomasz Swiatek’s unconditional support has helped shape her career. The World No. 1’s father recently spoke in depth about her colleagues and rivals, while also recognizing the extraordinary dedication of tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Swiatek’s father discussed former World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit’s recent decline in form. Kontaveit reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in June 2022 but faced a steep decline in her ranking by year-end. She also famously lost her second-round battle at the US Open against Serena Williams, who retired after the tournament.

Tomasz Swiatek expressed his sadness over the Estonian’s slump in form and compared her situation to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who continue to perform at incredible levels despite entering their late 30s. He was intrigued by the arch rivals’ longevity and expressed curiosity about their approach to the sport.

"I hear that Anett Kontaveit, whom I admire a lot, is a little tired of tennis today and that's a bit sad for me," he said in an interview.

"On the other hand, I see (Rafael Nadal) and (Novak Djokovic) much older than her, and in my opinion they should be asked what turns them on so much so that they still play at this level at this age."

Interestingly, both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have admitted that having each other as rivals is an important part of what keeps their passion for the sport alive.

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"I am glad that after what she achieved, she remained herself" - Iga Swiatek's father

Iga Swiatek with her father at the 2022 French Open

Tomasz Swiatek is a proud father and is very appreciative of Iga Swiatek’s work ethic. The three-time Grand Slam champion’s father is, however, more impressed that she’s been able to stay grounded after her exceptional victories in 2022.

"Iga is certainly very organized as a person. I am glad that after what she achieved, she remained herself, that colloquially speaking, the soda did not go to her head," the Pole remarked in his interview.

He also analyzed the potential of Iga Swiatek's rivals Aryna Sabalenka, Caroline Garcia, and Jessica Pegula. While he was unsure about Sabalenka’s consistency, Tomasz Swiatek commended the latter two, suggesting that they were the ones to look out for.

"I do not like the style that this player presents," he said about the Belarusian who defeated the World No. 1 in the semifinals of the WTA Tour Finals. "For sure Sabalenka can play good tournaments and meetings, but will the recent success in Texas make it more stable? We'll see."

"Jessica Pegula. I respect her work, how consciously and consistently she develops... In my opinion, Caroline Garcia can certainly afford valuable results in the near future. For some time she’s been playing (at such high level), she can be really solid in long stretches," he said about the World No. 3 and 4 respectively.