Rafael Nadal Falls Short Against Nuno Borges at Bastad Open Final 2024
Rafael Nadal, the legendary Spanish tennis player, suffered his first tour final loss in two years after losing in the Bastad Open final 2024.
On the clay, Nuno Borges, a Portuguese seventh seed, defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2.
At the clay-court Bastad Open on Sunday, Rafael Nadal lost his first final in two years, falling to Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3, 6-2. Only one week before the clay-court Olympic tennis competition in Paris begins, the legendary Spanish tennis player had shown glimpses of his return to form in Scandinavia, where he made an incredible run to the championship match.
But as he battled to find consistency with his serve and ground strokes, seventh seed Borges overpowered Nadal, who should have been enjoying his 64th triumph overall and first since Roland Garros 2022.
Saying, “Many congratulations to Nuno,” Nadal stated. “You deserve it more than anyone else here since you’ve been playing really well all week. Congratulation, and relish this time; obtaining a title is always an honor.
“It wasn’t my best day, but Nuno deserves all the praise. It was really challenging for me, but he played really well; excellent work.”
After saving break points and overcooking a forehand down the line, Borges broke the Spaniard’s service to take a 3-1 lead. Borges was the first player to make progress in the match.
On the Borges serve, however, the 14-time French Open champion answered right away, winning two break-back games before the Portuguese sent a forehand into the net from within the service box.
However, neither player was able to seize the initiative in the opening set as Borges swiftly built up an 0-40 lead in the subsequent service game, winning his second break point with a superbly placed drop shot.
Also Read: Rafael Nadal Makes a Stunning Comeback in Bastad, Sets Sights on Olympics 2024
Despite having trouble finding his first serve, Nadal held his second service game in the first set to make Borges serve again. With courage, the 51st-ranked player in the world accomplished that.
In the opening game of the second set, the 38-year-old displayed glimpses of his former self, sending a thunderous forehand winner down the line to serve at deuce. Although he ultimately held, that was one of Nadal’s few highlights of the match.
After thereafter, Borges broke Nadal’s service for the first time in the second set and for the fourth time all-around to take the lead at 2-2. In his first-ever meeting with the former world number one, the 27-year-old sealed a maiden career title by winning the next three games with an ace.
“I’m at a loss for words. “I believe I had been waiting for this opportunity for quite some time,” Borges remarked in his post-game interview.
It’s absurd how sometimes in tennis things don’t go as planned. Although I knew that everyone wanted Rafa to win, I also had stronger feelings for him, and they came through tonight. Overall, I’m just quite content. I’m so emotional that I truly don’t know what to say.
