Rafael Nadal has made a triumphant return to the finals, marking his first appearance since the 2022 French Open. The Spanish tennis legend rallied against Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the clay-court Nordea Open on Saturday.
After a grueling four-hour battle to defeat Argentina's 36th-ranked Mariano Navone in Friday's quarterfinals, Nadal began his match against Ajdukovic slowly, even slipping a break down in the second set. However, showcasing his resilience and unmatched skill on clay, Nadal turned the match around to secure his spot in the final.
“My opponent had one of the best backhands that I played against,” Nadal remarked. “It was very, 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. So that's great news and I'm very happy with that.”
Nadal is set to face Portugal's Nuno Borges in the final, who advanced by defeating Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-4, marking Borges' first Tour-level final.
The 38-year-old champion is competing in Sweden for the first time since his 2005 victory at the Nordea Open when he was just 19. Nadal is currently preparing for Roland Garros ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics, focusing on his clay-court prowess.
After skipping Wimbledon to avoid the strain of switching surfaces and to prevent potential injuries, Nadal has been managing hip and abdominal issues over the past year and a half. His comeback to the finals underscores his enduring talent and determination on the court.
Reference(s):
Nadal reaches first final since 2022 French Open by beating Ajdukovic
cgtn.com
