Swiatek unsettled by Nadal against Spain in BJK Cup

Iga Swiatek helped Poland qualify for the quarter-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup 2024 by beating Spain on Friday in Malaga. The world number 2 earned her country a second decisive point by beating Paula Badosa in a hard-fought match (6-3, 6-7, 6-1).

But the Pole didn't have to deal solely with the pressure of her match, and was completely unexpectedly destabilized just before entering the court. She received a visit from Rafael Nadal, her idol, just minutes before taking on Badosa.

A meeting that seems to have greatly disrupted her routine, as she later explained. Was it a Machiavellian strategy on Rafa's part to try and give his compatriots the upper hand?

Iga Swiatek: "Yes, we met, I don't know, five minutes before my match. So I wasn't really in (tactical) conversation mode."