Iga Swiatek has enlisted Francisco Roig, the loyal mentor who mentored Rafael Nadal through 22 Grand Slam victories, as her latest coaching addition in a push to reclaim her French Open dominance. The Polish world number four, who has won four of her six Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros, made the announcement on Instagram earlier this week after ending her partnership with Wim Fissette due to poor early-season performances. Swiatek, 24, has already begun working with Roig at Nadal’s academy in Majorca, with the Spanish legend himself providing direct instruction as she readies herself for next month’s clay-court showpiece in Paris. The partnership marks a notable change in direction for the Grand Slam winner, who faced challenges in 2026 with quarter-final exits at both the Australian Open and Indian Wells.
A strategic move for the Polish champion
Swiatek’s decision to appoint Roig constitutes a major overhaul of her approach to the game. After going through both remarkable peaks and crushing lows under Fissette’s guidance, the 24-year-old is seeking a new outlook from someone deeply versed with sustained excellence on clay. Roig’s 17-year tenure with Nadal provides him unparalleled insight into the tactical refinements and mental resilience needed to excel at the top tier. Having previously worked with Emma Raducanu, Roig has also demonstrated his capacity to engage effectively with varied approaches and personalities, making him a perfect match for Swiatek’s current needs.
The timing of this coaching transition is vital, as Swiatek looks to reclaim the reliability that made her a four-time French Open champion between 2020 and 2024. In recent months, she has recognised a propensity for excessively aggressive, erratic striking when under pressure—a departure from the baseline stability and ball control that formerly defined her game. By training at Nadal’s academy with the King of Clay himself offering counsel, Swiatek hopes to recalibrate her mentality and get back to being “a rock on the court,” as she described her ideal playing style to Polish media.
- Roig credited with technical innovations during Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles
- Swiatek previously contacted Nadal for coaching advice after Fissette’s exit
- Focus on court positioning rather than aggressive hitting under pressure
- French Open starts next month as main objective for Swiatek’s comeback
Why Roig represents the best option
The Nadal relationship and technical skill
Francisco Roig’s credentials are second to none in the world of coaching. His partnership spanning 17 years with Rafael Nadal afforded him an intimate understanding of how to maintain peak performance across different court types, but most notably on clay where the Spanish legend reigned supreme. During Nadal’s remarkable career, which culminated in 22 Grand Slam titles, Roig was key to implementing the strategic refinements that maintained Nadal’s competitive edge against evolving competition. His work alongside Nadal’s lead coaches—uncle Toni Nadal and later Carlos Moya—made him the creator of tactical breakthroughs that shaped one of sport’s most remarkable careers.
What sets Roig apart is his proven ability to translate that high-performance expertise to diverse players with unique on-court methods. His latest five-month stint coaching Emma Raducanu illustrated his adaptability and skill to coach athletes competing beyond the clay-court expert sphere. For Swiatek, this combination of profound clay experience and flexibility with different playing profiles makes him exceptionally positioned to address her existing technical and mental challenges while honouring the base she has established.
Nadal’s active involvement in Swiatek’s coaching change highlights the weight of this working relationship. The 24-year-old Polish champion has earlier consulted the Majorcan’s counsel during pivotal periods, and his recommendation of Roig carries substantial weight. By practising at Nadal’s facility with the icon providing real-time guidance, Swiatek obtains a network of support that links accumulated experience with tailored coaching, establishing an environment favourable for rediscovering the reliability that positioned her a commanding French Open contender.
Swiatek’s current challenges and moving forward
| Tournament | Result |
|---|---|
| Australian Open 2026 | Quarter-final exit |
| Indian Wells 2026 | Quarter-final exit |
| Miami Open 2026 | First-round loss |
| French Open 2025 | Semi-final defeat to Aryna Sabalenka |
Swiatek’s 2026 campaign has been notably erratic, a stark departure from the dominance she demonstrated between 2020 and 2024 when she captured four French Open titles. The last-eight eliminations at both the Australian Open and Indian Wells exposed core deficiencies in her game, whilst her opening-round exit at Miami in March necessitated an swift evaluation of her technical staff. These results have raised concerns about whether her recent Wimbledon triumph marks a sustainable shift in her capabilities or merely a fleeting success. The timing of Roig’s arrival is intentional, with the French Open—historically her stronghold—now less than a month away.
In recent interviews, Swiatek has expressed her desire to return to being “a rock on the court,” a philosophy that directly addresses her recent shortcomings. Rather than depending on wild, aggressive hitting when pressure mounts, she intends to rediscover the baseline stability and steadiness that characterised her earlier success. This approach involves drawing errors from opponents through sustained rallies rather than pursuing high-risk winners. Roig’s coaching knowledge in developing durable, pressure-resistant tactical strategies aligns perfectly with Swiatek’s stated objectives, offering a pathway to reclaim the composure and resilience that established her as a clay-court phenomenon.
Returning to baseline stability and precision
Swiatek’s tactical refocus under Roig centres on a fundamental principle: mastery of the baseline rather than reliance on aggressive shot-making. This constitutes a deliberate departure of the risky strategies that have undermined her performances in recent months, particularly when facing high-pressure moments. By reasserting herself as a dependable presence from the back of the court, Swiatek seeks to exhaust her rivals through prolonged exchanges and court positioning. The strategy echoes the approach that characterised her previous achievements, where patience and precision combined to extract mistakes from opponents. Roig’s technical acumen, developed over nearly two decades working with Nadal, positions him ideally to enhance this fundamental element of her playing style.
The psychological aspect of this tactical recalibration cannot be understated. Confidence at the baseline translates directly into composure during critical moments, enabling players to trust their fundamentals rather than pursuing desperate winners. Swiatek’s admission that she wants to become “a rock on the court” reflects an understanding that sustainable success requires consistency rather than spectacular shot-making. Roig’s expertise lies precisely in this domain—constructing game plans that prioritise consistency whilst maintaining competitive edge. By focusing on depth, angle variation, and court positioning, Swiatek can gradually restore the defensive resilience that previously made her nearly impenetrable on clay surfaces, particularly at Roland Garros.
The clay-court advantage
Clay courts have consistently enhanced Swiatek’s strengths, and this surface-focused proficiency forms a foundation of her partnership with Roig. The deliberate tempo of clay enables lengthy points that favour baseline specialists, rewarding the exact positioning and patience that characterise her best performance. Swiatek’s four French Open titles between 2020 and 2024 showcase her outstanding proficiency on this surface, yet her recent semi-final setback to Aryna Sabalenka—where she was bagelled in one set—implies her clay-court dominance has grown precarious. Roig’s familiarity with Nadal’s dominance on clay delivers invaluable insights into preserving excellence on this demanding surface whilst responding to changing competitive demands.
