Borges stuns misfiring Nadal to win first ATP title at Nordea Open
The Portuguese won the first title of his career in Bastad, beating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2 in the final
Nuno Borges won the first title of his career at the Nordea Open, excellently dispatching an under-par Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2 for a well-earned upset win in Bastad.
Borges has written his own piece of history with victory today, becoming only the second Portuguese player to win a Tour-level title, following in the footsteps of his country’s tennis trail-blazer, João Sousa.
At the age of 27, Borges clinched his first ATP title the hard way – on a clay court against the greatest clay-court player of all time.
While Borges’ achievement should rightly be acknowledged as a thoroughly impressive breakthrough, he was playing against a Nadal whose level fell well short of the Spaniard’s scintillating best.
Nadal was appearing in his first final since winning Roland-Garros in 2022, a fine feat in itself after a torrid 24 months defined by chronic injury.
But he did not have enough left in the tank to get over the line today, against a very solid opponent who was dialled-in and fired-up from the start.
Following back-to-back three-set matches in which he had to claw back a one-set deficit – the first of which lasted nearly four hours – the 2005 Nordea Open champion was visibly and understandably fatigued as he laboured to a meek defeat.
impressive borges too strong for fatigued nadal
The first set started brightly enough. Borges twice took an early lead, but Nadal was able to break straight back both times until the Portuguese struck for a third time in the sixth game. The rest of the set went on serve, with Borges confidently serving out for a one-set lead.
The pair stayed on level terms in the second until the fifth game, when Nadal’s already below-par performance dipped again. With the Spaniard’s shot-making ability fading alarmingly quickly, Borges did well to take full advantage, breaking his opponent in that fifth game before striking again in the seventh en route to a commanding 5-2 lead.
Nadal has made epic comeback wins the theme of his Nordea Open campaign, but could not replicate the fightbacks of the previous two rounds. There were no late twists in the tale this time, with Borges comfortably serving out a well-deserved win to clinch his first ever ATP title.
“First of all congratulations to Nuno,” Nadal said in his runner-up speech, with his wife and young son watching on from the stands.
“You played great all week. You deserve it more than anyone else. Enjoy your moment. It’s a special moment winning a title. I wish you all the very best for the rest of the season
“To my team and family.. I can’t thank you enough for everything. It hasn’t been easy moments the last few years. Even in the low moments, my team and family have been with me every single day, helping me in every way.
“Thank you so much everybody for being there all the time. I feel privileged to be able to play in front of an amazing crowd.”
For the first time in his life, Borges then took the microphone to deliver a maiden winner’s speech – something he endearingly admitted made him nervous.
“I was nervous already. After Rafa gave that speech, now I’m even more nervous,” he said.
“First time here. I never thought I’d be here playing on a full stadium against Rafa on clay. It’s a dream come true. Right now I’m living in the clouds. I’m somewhere there.
“I’d like to congratulate Rafa. I told him it wasn’t his best match obviously. Everyone loves to see you competing. People follow you. You’re a big inspiration for everybody. Especially the players that look up to you and all you’ve done.”
a positive week for nadal, as body holds up ahead of olympics
A greatly encouraging week for Nadal ultimately ends in a one-sided defeat, but the 22-time Grand Slam champion will no doubt count his campaign in Bastad as a positive one.
The purpose was to give himself some much-needed match time and test his body ahead of the Paris Olympics at the end of the month.
Both of those aims have been more than achieved, with the added bonus of playing well enough to reach the final and have his body fully intact. All this bodes very well for the Spaniard as all attention shortly turns back to the French capital for the Games.
Borges, meanwhile, writes his own chapter in both Portuguese sporting history, and his own tennis story.
A perennially dangerous opponent, with superb work ethic and wonderful talent, Borges’ breakthrough has taken longer for him than many would have predicted at the start of his career.
But Borges only has to look at the accomplishments of Jasmine Paolini this season, who is putting together an astonishing season at the age of 28, to understand that ‘better late than never’ is always an appropriate maxim.
This could be the first foundation for a late-career surge from the Portuguese, who has shown he has the ability and the mental fortitude to get over the line when it matters most – regardless of the opponent.
A fine achievement.
