July 21, (THEWILL) – Rafael Nadal suffered a surprising defeat in the Bastad Open final on Sunday, losing 6-3 6-2 to Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
The clay-court tournament in Sweden marked Nadal’s most impressive return to competitive tennis after a lengthy injury layoff, with the final being his first in two years.
Despite showing promising form throughout the week, Nadal struggled to find his rhythm against the world number 51. Borges dominated the match, breaking Nadal’s serve four times and displaying impressive composure to claim his maiden ATP title. The Portuguese player executed his game plan effectively, utilising drop shots and powerful groundstrokes to keep Nadal off balance.
The 38-year-old Spaniard, known for his clay-court dominance, was unable to counter Borges’ aggressive play. Nadal’s serve was particularly vulnerable, with the 14-time French Open champion winning just two of his service games in the opening set. Despite occasional flashes of his trademark forehand, Nadal could not sustain the level required to overcome his younger opponent.
In his post-match comments, Nadal graciously congratulated Borges on his victory, acknowledging that the Portuguese player deserved the win. Borges, visibly emotional after his triumph, expressed his disbelief at defeating one of tennis’ all-time greats in his first encounter with the Spaniard.
The result raises questions about Nadal’s form heading into the Olympic Games in Paris, where tennis events will be held on clay. While the Bastad tournament provided valuable match practice for Nadal, the final exposed areas of his game that may require improvement before he competes for Olympic gold.
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.
