'She plays more like a man,' Jessica Pegula believes Iga Swiatek bases her playing style on that of Rafael Nadal

World No. 5 Jessica Pegula has given insight into what it feels like to share the court with World No. 1 Iga Swiatek. The American ace recently withdrew from Roland Garros to recover from her injuries.

Pegula spoke to NBC Sports shortly after her decision to withdraw from the second Grand Slam of the year. The 30-year-old was full of praise for the Polish star, particularly for her recent performances on clay.

Yes, I played it on clay and hard court. She is a clay court player. It is on this model that she plays. She was inspired by Rafael Nadal. It was his idol. So, his topspin shots, his athleticism and his ability to transform defense into attack, that comes from him. Not only his defense, but also his ability to get in and out of the corner so quickly, turn the point and take the ball early. I think it's something special. And on clay, she has more time to do it. It fits her game, with heavy lifts, and she plays more like a man, to be honest. Jessica Pegula said

Pegula decided to withdraw from the French Open as she was unable to recover from her injuries, which hampered her clay court season. Considering she has a heavy schedule leading up to the US Open, she made this tough decision.

The American now eyes a return to grass. She is expected to play at least one WTA tournament on grass before heading to Wimbledon. Afterwards, she will return to Paris for the Olympic Games. Pegula hasn’t gone beyond the quarter-finals in a Grand Slam in her singles career.

Is Iga Swiatek the utmost favorite for Roland Garros 2024?

Roland Garros is about to start in 24 hours, and in the women’s field, the tennis fans are asking: can anybody stop Iga Swiatek? Well, judging by her last two tournaments, the fans can give little hope to her opponents.