Former world number one Rafael Nadal fought past Duje Ajdukovic to reach the final at the ATP 250 Nordea Open on Saturday, his first in over two years. He will play Portuguese Nuno Borges on Sunday in Bastad for the title.
Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Spaniard Rafael Nadal returned to action in Bastad, Sweden, fighting his way into his first championship match in over two years by coming back from a set and a break down to defeat Croatian qualifier Duje Ajdukovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 after two hours and 22 minutes on Saturday.
After the semifinal matchup, the Spanish player said: “My opponent had one of the best backhands I played against. He came here with a lot of confidence. I was trying to push him back.
“It was very difficult, honestly, but I found a way to survive and be through to that final after a long time without being in a final. That’s great news. I am very happy with that.”
Bidding to win his first title on tour since Roland Garros 2022, he will next face off against Nuno Borges.
The fourth Portuguese player to reach a singles final at tour level outlasted Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-4 in 69 minutes on Saturday afternoon, punching his ticket into his maiden ATP career final.
Seventh seed Borges and former Bastad winner Nadal will meet for the first time on tour on the Swedish clay courts on Sunday’s showdown.
Making his first appearance at the Nordea Open since 2005, when he lifted the trophy, the 38-year-old has made the most of his run in Sweden, gaining crucial match play (four consecutive wins) and confidence within each match he played.
On Friday, the 22-time Grand Slam men’s singles champion got tested, rising to the occasion to earn a dramatic four-hour, 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-5 victory against fourth-seed Mariano Navone and reach the semifinals.
The longest match in tournament history saw a battle for the ages, which became the longest three-setter of the year at tour level.
In his on-court interview, Nadal commented: “I lost for some moments my concentration, but I was able to hold physically until the end; that is so important to me.”
Assessing the hard-fought quarterfinal encounter, he outlined: “There was a lot of changing dynamics in every single set. For moments, he was in control. For moments, I was in control. But in the end, no one was in control!
“I had a good chance in the second with 3-0. Then I was very close to losing the match in the second set,” he added.
“In the third [I was ahead] again with 5-2, but he is a great fighter and played a great match.”
Moreover, the week in Bastad showed there is plenty of tennis yet on the 92-time ATP titlist racquet; the ultimate warrior has been wise in choosing his battles while on the recovery road, and following his appearance at the event, the signs ahead of the Olympics are encouraging to say at least.
“It is always a great feeling to be back in a final,” he stressed. “I have won four matches in a row, something I was not able to do since two years ago.
“A lot of things happened, but still in this process of recovering, a lot of things I lost because I had a very important hip surgery almost one year ago.
“Things were not going that easy, but I am fighting. I fought during the whole tournament to be where I am today, and I think matches like yesterday, like today, help to improve a lot of things on the court.
“I am happy with that, let’s see if I am able to play a little bit better tomorrow.”
