Roig appointed as Swiatek's new coach, previously coached Nadal for 17 years

On April 2 afternoon Beijing time, Swiatek announced her new coach selection on social media, who is Roig from Spain.

Roig is a coach with extensive coaching experience, serving as Nadal's assistant coach from 2005 to 2022, coaching Berrettini from 2023 to 2024, and subsequently coaching Raducanu and Perricard from 2025 to 2026.

Swiatek currently holds the world No. 4 singles ranking, but her performance this year has been less than ideal, with a record of 12 wins and 6 losses so far this year. At the Australian Open this year, Swiatek lost to Rybakina in the quarter-finals; at the Doha tournament, she lost to Sakkari in the quarter-finals; at Indian Wells, she lost to Svitolina in the quarter-finals; and in her first match at Miami, she lost to Linette, ranked No. 50.

After losing the match in Miami, Swiatek announced the end of her coaching partnership with Fisette. When discussing this decision, Swiatek said: "This was not a hastily made decision. Sometimes I might be perceived as an emotional person, but I truly do not make impulsive decisions... After losing to Sakkari in Doha, I had a long talk with Fisette, thinking about what specifically needed to be done to regain consistent form. Some progress was made at Indian Wells, but after considering all factors, I still concluded that I needed to make a change."

After deciding to dismiss Fisette, Swiatek faced external criticism, with some attributing her declining performance to her long-term mental coach Abramowicz, even speculating that their relationship had exceeded the boundaries between a player and a mental coach.

Regarding these criticisms and rumors, Swiatek firmly denied them in an interview with domestic journalists. "Choosing who to work with is my own decision. Most of the negative reports I see are fabricated sensationalist fake news... As for the articles about Abramowicz, in recent years she has been praised for her success on the court... Now, when form and performance decline, she suddenly becomes the target of criticism. But I try to make decisions based on my own thoughts, because only then can I truly believe these decisions are correct."

In 2022, Swiatek won the WTA500 Stuttgart singles championship.

After clarifying the rumors, various speculations emerged about who might become Swiatek's new coach. Names such as Ferrero, Roig, Victorovsky, Chert, Joyce, and Wozniacki appeared online and in media.

There were also rumors that Swiatek trained at the Nadal Tennis Academy, during which Nadal helped Swiatek select a coach. Regarding this, Swiatek stated, "Nadal is my idol, and actually the only person I watched playing tennis when I was young. Having such an experienced person help is certainly a great opportunity, and if there is a chance I will seize it. Being able to have his number and contact him is a tremendous honor for me. But honestly, whether he helps me choose a coach or not, I hope this matter remains only between us, because he is part of this story. I don't want to put him in an awkward situation."

Now, the outcome has become clear—Nadal may indeed have helped Swiatek recommend a new coach candidate, and this new coach is Roig, who has been with him for 17 years.

ATP official website shows that Roig was born on April 1, 1968 in Barcelona, Spain, and is a retired professional player. His career highest singles world ranking was No. 60 (achieved in October 1992), and his highest doubles world ranking was No. 23 (achieved in July 1995). Roig did not win any singles championship titles but won 9 doubles championship titles. His total career prize money is $1.467 million. After retiring in 1999, he worked as a coach.

In 2023, Swiatek won the WTA500 Stuttgart singles championship.

Roig stepped down as Nadal's assistant coach in 2022. At that time, Nadal commented, "He is a fantastic coach, knows tennis very well, and helped me grow a lot. I can only thank him and wish him all the best in his new project."

After announcing Roig as her new coach, Swiatek will next go to Stuttgart to participate in a tournament, which will also be the first event they compete in together. Previously, Swiatek won twice in Stuttgart in 2022 and 2023. This year's tournament will be held from April 13 to 19. Currently, there are 10 days left before the start of the tournament. It is hoped that under the guidance of her new coach, Swiatek will deliver impressive performances on her most proficient clay court.Source: Tennis Home Author: Yun Juan Yun Shu