Iga Swiatek completes “micro training block” at Rafa Nadal Academy

WATCH: Tennis Channel Live discusses Iga Swiatek training at Rafa Nadal's Academy in Madrid

Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek has emerged as one of the WTA’s most solid clay-court players in recent years. But the world No. 1 is still determined to keep improving—and learn a thing or two from her faves along the way.

After pulling out of the Mutua Madrid Open to rest up her right shoulder, Swiatek and her team traveled to Mallorca to spend some time doing a “micro training block” at the Rafa Nadal Academy.

The Pole is not only a regular visitor to the Spaniard’s academy; Swiatek is also a huge Rafan, and it’s no surprise that she’s been posting up a storm throughout her stay.

From her Nadal-themed morning cappuccino—perhaps straight from the academy’s Grand Slam-themed cafe—to her tour of the 21-time major champion’s personal museum, Swiatek has been living out every tennis fan’s dream this week.

But ever the champion, Swiatek never lets her fandom distract her from the job at hand: She’s also been putting in the hard work on the practice courts, as she eyes another WTA 1000 victory in Rome.

"Today we arrived in Rome, and we have a moment of rest after intense training at the Rafa Nadal Academy,” Swiatek was quoted as saying in an interview with Polish radio TOK FM\]([https://audycje-tokfm-pl.translate.goog/audycja/489,Rosja-Stan-umyslu?utmsource=tokfm.pl&utm\medium=baner&utm\campaign=RosjaStanUmyslu&utmcontent=popup&xtrsl=pl&xtrtl=en&xtrhl=en&xtrpto=wapp). “I've done a micro training block, which will help me to stay in form until Roland Garros."

She’s currently the heavy favorite going into Rome and Roland Garros, as her rapid rise to the top of the rankings has seen her extend her mind-boggling undefeated run across three months, three continents and two playing surfaces. Swiatek won three WTA 1000 trophies in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami—completing the ‘Sunshine Double’ by winning the latter two back to back—and she didn’t miss a beat when the tour turned to clay, adding the Stuttgart trophy to her tally.

But she paused her streak at 23 wins in a row when she withdrew from Madrid last week—a “strategic decision” to proactively rest her right shoulder, she told Polish press from Rome.

"[Pulling out of Madrid] was a more strategic decision when it comes to planning. Recently, I haven't had time for training or to recover properly. Now it's all good with my health," she said.

"I can start the next tournaments with a different perspective and it may help me play without expectations and just see how I feel on clay… I consider Rome as the first tournament on actual clay."

Swiatek will aim to be back to her winning ways at the Foro Italico, where last year she dropped just one set on her way to the title—including a statement 6-0, 6-0 win over Karolina Pliskova in the final. She returns as the top seed to Rome, which starts on 9 May.