{"id":31674,"date":"2025-03-09T02:19:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T02:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=31674"},"modified":"2025-03-09T02:19:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-09T02:19:08","slug":"iga-swiatek-names-two-atp-players-whose-matches-she-loves-to-watch-after-rafael-nadals-retirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=31674","title":{"rendered":"Iga Swiatek names two ATP players whose matches she loves to watch after Rafael Nadal\u2019s retirement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Only two current ATP youngsters’ games have impressed Iga Swiatek, who is in Indian Wells to bid for a second consecutive title.<\/p>\n

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Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek (Image via Tennis X)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Iga Swiatek<\/strong>\u00a0has become a fan of\u00a0Joao Fonseca<\/strong>, the talented teenager from Brazil, who is tipped to join\u00a0Carlos Alcaraz<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Jannik Sinner<\/strong>\u00a0to form another formidable Big 3. Both Swiatek and Fonseca are in Indian Wells on their quest for the 1000 ranking points.<\/p>\n

Swiatek, the second seed, has received a bye and will be opening her campaign in the round of 64. Fonseca, on the other hand, moved into the second round with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 win over\u00a0Jacob Fearnley<\/strong>\u00a0on his Indian Wells debut.<\/p>\n

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Swiatek, ahead of her match, revealed that since Nadal\u2019s retirement at the 2024 Davis Cup, she watched only Alcaraz\u2019s matches in\u00a0ATP<\/a>\u00a0events. She has now started to enjoy Fonseca\u2019s matches too.<\/p>\n

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When Rafa retired, I haven\u2019t been watching much of ATP. I always follow Carlos Alcaraz. I had trouble finding other players who really struck me and I love their game. Then I watched Joao and I really enjoyed how he plays and moves\u2026The decisions he makes on the court. I think he\u2019s for sure gonna be a player I\u2019ll follow.<\/em><\/p>\n

Iga Swiatek said at the press conference<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

The 2024 Next-Gen ATP Finals winner will face 13th seed\u00a0Jack Draper<\/strong>\u00a0next. His win over Fearnley was his second ATP Masters 1000 victory and his first on a hard court. Swiatek is convinced that the 18-year-old, who\u00a0won his first ATP title in Buenos Aires, is going in the right direction and has some qualities to make him a great player of the game.<\/p>\n

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Because of him, I\u2019ll maybe watch more of ATP and enjoy that. He\u2019s been amazing. He\u2019s doing great. There\u2019s a lot of pressure on him, so I hope the Brazilian fans will take it easy on him because he\u2019s still young and there\u2019s time to develop. With enough peace of mind, step by step, he\u2019s gonna become a great player.<\/em><\/p>\n

Iga Swiatek added<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n