Iga Swiatek has been training with Francisco Roig and Rafael Nadal in Manacor ahead of the clay-court season.
After the Pole failed to win a title on clay last year, Swiatek is leaving no stone unturned this time around.
Training with the greatest clay-courter of all time, Nadal, and his former coach, Roig, Swiatek is sending an ominous message to her rivals.
How many Grand Slam titles will Iga Swiatek win with Francisco Roig as her coach?
She's signed one of the best coaches on tour!
But what’s changed in Swiatek’s training since bringing Roig on board?
Iga Swiatek and Francisco Roig said to be communicating ‘excellently’ in training
Polish journalist Tytus Olszewski watched Swiatek train with Roig and delivered his verdict on X.
“Iga [Swiatek] has fantastic working conditions at the [Rafael] Nadal Academy in Mallorca, and the collaboration with her coach looks very promising,” he said (translated from Polish).
“They communicate excellently, and Francisco [Roig] provides feedback on the spot in English.”
He continued, highlighting what Roig and Swiatek were working on.
“During today’s session, they focused on several technical aspects,” wrote Olszewski.
“After the training, both looked very satisfied with the work they had accomplished.”
There are certainly reasons to be hopeful if you’re a fan of the six-time Grand Slam champion.
Swiatek needed to change something after a slow start to the year, and if the reports are to be believed, the decision to hire Roig was an inspired move.
Live WTA Race
| Rank | Name | Country | Points |
| 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | Belarus | 3,800 |
| 2 | Elena Rybakina | Kazakhstan | 3,483 |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | USA | 2,905 |
| 4 | Elina Svitolina | Ukraine | 2,255 |
| 5 | Karolina Muchova | Czechia | 1,945 |
| 6 | Victoria Mboko | Canada | 1,927 |
| 7 | Coco Gauff | USA | 1,695 |
| 8 | Mirra Andreeva | Russia | 1,476 |
| 9 | Belinda Bencic | Switzerland | 1,187 |
| 10 | Amanda Anisimova | USA | 1,130 |
| 11 | Iva Jovic | USA | 1,111 |
| 12 | Iga Swiatek | Poland | 1,020 |
| 13 | Sorana Cirstea | Romania | 872 |
| 14 | Jelena Ostapenko | Latvia | 825 |
| 15 | Madison Keys | USA | 781 |
She will want to find form quickly, though, as she currently sits outside the WTA Finals qualification places.
The 24-year-old hasn’t missed the year-end finals since making her debut at the event in 2021.
Swiatek usually plays her best tennis on clay, so it will be interesting to see where she stands in the ‘WTA Race’ in a few months.
Are there any concerns about Francisco Roig and Iga Swiatek?
The news is positive for the moment, but that might not last forever…
For as successful as Roig was with Nadal, his WTA Tour experience is limited.
He famously worked with Emma Raducanu, although their partnership lasted just six months.
Emma Raducanu’s results with Francisco Roig
| Tournament | Performance | Match wins |
| 2025 Cincinnati Open | Lost in 3R | 1 (Olga Danilovic) |
| 2025 US Open | Lost in 3R | 2 (Ena Shibahara, Janice Tjen) |
| 2025 Korea Open | Lost in 2R | 1 (Jaqueline Cristian) |
| 2025 China Open | Lost in 3R | 1 (Cristina Bucsa) |
| 2025 Wuhan Open | Lost in 1R | 0 |
| 2025 Ningbo Open | Lost in 1R | 0 |
| 2026 United Cup | Lost in RR | 0 |
| 2026 Hobart International | Lost in QF | 1 (Camila Osorio) |
| 2026 Australian Open | Lost in 2R | 1 (Mananchaya Sawangkaew) |
After a promising start, Raducanu began to struggle with Roig in her corner, and split earlier this year.
The tournament after Raducanu and Roig split, she reached her first WTA final since the 2021 US Open.
His results with Raducanu left a lot to be desired, as did his conduct when joining Swiatek’s team…
It was reported that Roig split from Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard without telling him.
Former world number one Kim Clijsters questioned Roig’s behaviour.
That’s unbelievable,” said Clijsters.
“It is [tough for Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard] and to me, a little bit surprising, to hear it happened like that.
“There is a little bit of common sense and respect, even if it is hard news that you have to bring, to kind of just sit down, even if you’re in different parts of the world.”
Roig and Mpetshi Perricard only worked together for a short while, and we have only heard one side of the story, but if true, his handling of the situation does put his character into question.
Will Swiatek encounter any issues with Roig, or will they find success from the get-go? Only time will tell!
Swiatek will play her first tournament with Roig as her coach in Stuttgart.
In Germany, the Pole will be joined by two of the world’s top three players: Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff.
The 2026 Stuttgart Open begins on Monday, April 13.
