'First thing I did was look to his footprint' - players inspired by Nadal in Paris

French Open 2025

Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website and app

Iga Swiatek and Paula Badosa some said they were inspired by nan awesome Rafael Nadal successful their first-round French Open victories.

Three-time defending champion Swiatek, on pinch men's victor Carlos Alcaraz, were successful nan crowd for a tribute ceremony to 14-time champion Nadal connected Sunday.

On Monday, nan Pole claimed her 22nd successive French Open lucifer triumph arsenic she hit Slovakia's Sramkova 6-3 6-3 successful Paris.

"I knew nan cameras were connected Carlos [Alcaraz] down maine truthful I needed to beryllium brave, but seeing Rafa crying makes maine much emotional," Swiatek said.

"It's awesome nan tennis world could show their appreciation and show Rafa we are really thankful for everything he did. He is simply a immense inspiration.

"Even erstwhile he's not playing, moreover him being present yesterday inspired maine a lot. Thanks Rafa."

Badosa paid tribute to her chap Spaniard aft a hard-fought 6-7 (1-7) 6-1 6-4 triumph complete four-time awesome champion Naomi Osaka.

Pointing to nan metallic plaque featuring Nadal's footprint adjacent to nan nett station connected Court Philippe Chatrier, Badosa said: "When I was 7-6 down nan first point I did was to look complete there, to get inspiration from Rafa.

"I was for illustration 'come connected Paula, you person to conflict for illustration he would'.

"Thanks Rafa. We really miss you."

Swiatek, bidding for a 5th French Open title successful six years, has suffered a downturn successful shape successful caller months and dropped to 5th successful nan world rankings.

For nan first clip since 2020, she arrives astatine nan clay-court awesome without winning a WTA title successful nan first 5 months of nan season.

Swiatek is known for making a accelerated commencement but she had to conflict her measurement done her first work crippled against 42nd-ranked Sramkova.

She won nan last 3 games of nan first group to return nan lead but was surgery to 15 successful nan opening crippled of nan second.

However, Swiatek stuck in, breaking backmost for 3-3 earlier winning nan adjacent 3 games to group up a gathering pinch Britain's Emma Raducanu.

Afterwards, Swiatek recalled speaking to Nadal successful Paris successful 2021 aft his semi-final nonaccomplishment to Novak Djokovic - nan aforesaid twelvemonth Swiatek's title defence ended successful nan quarter-finals.

"I was devastated that he mislaid and nan adjacent day, he was conscionable sitting location aft meal aliases something, and I asked him really does he feel?" Swiatek said.

"He was chill. He was like, 'oh, it's conscionable a tennis match. I'll get galore much chances'.

"I was like, what? Why americium I crying if he's not crying?"