Nadal to face (Leo) Borg in Bastad
Rafael Nadal is set to return to the tour next week in Bastad, and has drawn Leo Bord in Round 1
The 2024 Nordea Open draw has been made, and one match-up stands out more than any other – Rafael Nadal vs Leo Borg (yes, son of Bjorn) in Round 1. This clash puts one sporting legend, who is playing his first tournament since Roland Garros, against the heir of another, in what promises to be, on name heritage, an intriguing meeting.
However, the match may not be as competitive as many wish it to be, with Leo Borg ranked outside the world’s top 450, only achieving one tour-level match victory – coincidentally in Bastad, last year. Additionally, Nadal will be very keen to play as many matches as possible in the Swedish town, and may use his performance in the tournament as an indicator of what he can plausibly achieve at the Paris Olympics in a fortnight.
If the Spanish superstar gets through his first match, Nadal would likely meet Cameron Norrie in the second round, with Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev potentially waiting in the semi-final and final respectively.