<p>PARIS &mdash; For an audience with the “King of Clay,” the current queen of clay thought it best to come prepared.</p>
<p>Worried that she might run short of things to say, French Open champion Iga Swiatek says she readied some talking points before hitting balls in a training session in Paris with her idol, 13-time Roland Garros winner Rafael Nadal.</p>
<p>The pre-tournament knock-about between the men and women’s defending champions on red clay made a splash on social media. Unlike many of his opponents, Swiatek got a huge thrill from being on the receiving end of the kicking, spinning left-handed Nadal forehand that spits off the dust. </p>
<p>“I got to feel his forehand, which was great, and his topspin. That was a whole new experience for me,” Swiatek said after getting her title defense rolling on Monday with a straight-sets first-round win. “It gave me, like, a lot of positive energy. It was really a huge inspiration for me.”</p>
<p>Swiatek, who turned 20 on Monday, had just celebrated her fourth birthday when Nadal won his first French Open in 2005. Finding herself sharing a stage in Paris with the winner of 20 major titles has been among the many lifestyle changes that Swiatek has had to adapt to as a Roland Garros champion. Like Nadal back then, she won last year as a heavy-hitting teenager.</p>
<p>For their practice session at Roland Garros, Swiatek said she prepared “some small topics, not to have awkward silence.”</p>
<p>But Nadal made her feel at ease. </p>
<p>“Rafa is really, really great. He’s a really nice guy. Even though I am pretty introverted, it was really fun for me,” she said. “It’s really nice to see such a champion being normal off court, and also telling jokes and being a little bit sarcastic.”</p>
<p>MERCI!</p>
<p>“Merci, Benoit! Merci, Benoit!” chanted the fans as Benoit Paire left Court Simonne Mathieu after another loss in a year of many. There were tears in his eyes but his heart was warmed by the support. </p>
<p>The Frenchman has been piling up losses since the start of the pandemic — he has a 2-15 record this year — and repeatedly said he lost his appetite for tennis, especially because of restrictions preventing fans from attending matches. </p>
<p>He was banned from competing for his country at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics by the French tennis federation.</p>
<p>On Monday, the 40th-ranked Paire certainly did not feel alone. After only 1,000 spectators were allowed per day at Roland Garros last year because of COVID-19 concerns, more than five times that have been permitted this week. And the hundreds attending his match against 15th-seeded Casper Ruud loudly supported Paire with nice words and applause throughout the three hours of his 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (4) loss. </p>
<p>“Life on Tour has been so difficult over the last few months,” Paire said. “I’m back to the tennis I love, with an audience, emotions, sharing. That’s why I do this job, this sport, that’s what makes it beautiful. You don’t play for yourself, you play for everyone, to bring happiness.”</p>