Record 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek didn’t really have a clear answer when asked what’s the most interesting thing about them. At this week’s Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, the tournament organizers filmed a video in which they asked some of the best players to reveal the most interesting things about themselves.
“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t like to talk about myself, I never liked it. I don’t know,” Nadal said. Swiatek, a two-time Grand Slam champion, also didn’t have an answer. “Umm I don’t know, I don’t know,” Swiatek said.
Gauff, who ended runner-up to Swiatek in this year’s French Open final, was also asked the same question. “The most interesting thing about me, it’s not much,” Gauff said.
Nadal beaten in his comeback match
After being out for over a month due to an abdominal injury, Nadal returned to action this week in Cincinnati.
In his comeback match, Nadal suffered a surprise defeat versus Borna Coric 7-6 (9) 4-6 6-3. “You lose, you move forward. I know the way,” Nadal said after the loss. “The main thing for me is to stay healthy. It has been a difficult injury to manage, to be honest.
The last month and a half hasn’t been easy, because having a tear on the abdominal, you don’t know when [you are] 100% over the thing. That affects a little bit in terms of not [being] sure if you are able to try your best in every serve”.
Nadal now heads to the US Open with only one competitive match played. “In terms of New York, it’s a Grand Slam, a different kind of tournament,” Nadal noted. “I was only able to play two sets before this match in the last 40 days.
I know that to gain condition, I will have to be on the tour practising with the guys.” It remains to be seen how much can Nadal do at the US Open.
