July 16, (THEWILL) – Rafael Nadal made an impressive return to singles tennis with a dominant victory over Leo Borg at the Bastad Open.
The 38-year-old Spaniard, playing his first singles match since losing in the first round of the French Open in May, defeated Borg 6-3 6-4 in wet conditions on Tuesday.
Nadal, a wild card entry alongside the 21-year-old Borg, broke early in the first set and sealed it with four aces. He then secured an immediate break in the second set, ultimately closing out the match after 1 hour and 25 minutes on court.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion was gracious in victory, praising his opponent, the son of tennis legend Bjorn Borg and stating it was an honour to play against him. Nadal will face fifth seed Cameron Norrie in the second round, as he builds towards the Paris Olympics.
This victory follows Nadal’s successful return to doubles action on Monday, where he partnered with Casper Ruud. The Spaniard is focusing on the Olympics, which will be held at Roland Garros, the site of his 14 French Open triumphs.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.