RAFAEL NADAL’S DREAM JOURNEY AT SWEDISH OPEN ENDS WITH STRAIGHT-SETS DEFEAT IN FINAL TO IMPRESSIVE NUNO BORGES
It was just one step too far for Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard had made his way to his first final in two years after enthralling comebacks in the quarter-finals and semi-finals at the Nordea Open. This time around, Nadal was unable to show his powers of recovery as he slipped to a straight-sets defeat at the hands of seventh seed Nuno Borges. Nadal will now set his sights on the Olympic Games.
Rafael Nadal was beaten in straight sets in his first tour final for two years, as Nuno Borges became the first Portuguese player to win the Nordea Open in Bastad. The Spaniard, who missed Wimbledon to focus on his fitness ahead of the Olympics in Paris, has struggled with injury throughout the season and fell to a 6-3 6-2 loss.
Borges even admitted that a part of him wanted the legendary player to take the title, but the prize on offer – a first ever ATP singles tour final victory – was too much to turn down.
The 27-year-old also became just the fifth player to beat Nadal in a clay-court final and was overcome with joy on reception of the trophy. “I never thought I would have been playing here in a full stadium against Rafa on clay,” he said. “It is a dream come true. “Right now, I’m living in the clouds, somewhere up there. There’s not many today, but I’m somewhere not here.
Ladies & gentlemen
This years Nordea Open champion is Nuno Borges #nordeaopen #båstad #tennis #atp
@liljasinstagram pic.twitter.com/tTyR1tiL35
— Nordea Open (@NordeaOpen) July 21, 2024
“It doesn’t happen when you expect it sometimes. And I know we all wanted Rafa to win and a part of me wished that too. “But something even bigger inside of me pushed through today, through the emotions, through the ups and downs.” After gruelling comeback victories in the quarter and semi-final, including a four-hour battle against Mariano Navone, Nadal felt the intensity right from the off. Borges held and then broke to take an early 2-0 lead, eventually breaking his opponent’s serve three times to take the first set, despite Nadal himself breaking twice.
In the end, it turned into a comprehensive performance for the man from Maia, which Nadal acknowledged in his runners-up speech. Nadal said: “Congratulations to Nuno, you played great during the whole week so you deserve it more than anybody else here. Enjoy your moment. It is always special winning a title.” And on his return to Bastad for the first time since 2005, Nadal thanked the crowd for their support on what could “probably” be his final appearance at the Nordea Open.
What a week @RafaelNadal @NordeaOpen | #NordeaOpen pic.twitter.com/cToTp6oC9z
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 21, 2024
“You [the crowd] made me feel great and special on the court and you gave me a lot of energy in the tough moments and I had a few during the week,” said Nadal with a smile.
“I don’t know if I’ll be back here playing, probably not. But I enjoy it a lot, playing for one more time here, without a doubt.” The second set was even more comfortable for Borges, who broke the Spaniard in the fifth game after four holds of serve. Two of those going the way of Nadal were the only positives, as Borges broke, held and then wrapped up the final game to love.
BERRETTINI MAKES LIGHT WORK OF HALYS TO SCOOP SWISS OPEN
Matteo Berrettini took just 59 minutes to defeat Quentin Halys 6-3 6-1 in the Swiss Open final in Gstaad on Sunday. That brought his ATP Tour titles tally to nine with the Italian becoming something of a specialist in Switzerland, breaking his duck in 2018 at the same venue. The sixth seed also reached the final in 2022 where he was beaten by Casper Ruud, but, despite a brief interlude due to rain, it was business as usual for Berrettini this time around.
He was EVERYWHERE ⚡️♂️
Check out this @MattBerrettini strike in the Gstaad final!@SwissOpenGstaad | #ATPGstaad pic.twitter.com/nIcZOGgycm
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 21, 2024
Returning to the top 50 for the first time since August 2023, Berretini claimed seven of the last eight games to send Halys home with the runner-up medal. “It feels unbelievable. It feels like it was yesterday that I won my first title here six years ago, but a lot of matches and a lot of things happened,” said Berrettini. “I’m just so glad that I can keep playing and enjoying, and I think I found the energy of six years ago during this week. This place is special for me. I’m just so happy.”
