'A special moment for him' - Rafael Nadal lauds Nuno Borges after Bastad Open final loss

Rafael Nadal played his first ATP final in Bastad since Roland Garros in 2022.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has lauded Nuno Borges on social media after he suffered a straight-set loss against the Portuguese in the final of the Bastad Open on Sunday, July 21.

Nadal, who has played a limited number of matches since 2023, missed the 2024 Wimbledon Championship, stating that he aims to play at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Later, the 22-time Grand Slam champion announced that he would play at the 2024 Bastad Open in preparation for the Paris Olympics.

Rafael Nadal started his campaign in Sweden with a resounding 6-3, 6-4 victory over Leo Borg. He continued the momentum by stunning Cameron Norrie in the second round before he outclassed Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a four-hour marathon in the quarter-finals.

With a win over qualifier Duje Ajdukovic in the semi-finals, Nadal reached his first ATP final since the 2022 French Open. However, the Spaniard looked dull and sombre during his final against Nuno Borges. The 22-time Grand Slam champion lost the final 6-3, 6-2, in straight sets in one hour and 28 minutes.

ALSO READ: ‘Today I’m alive’ – Rafael Nadal reacts after surviving four-hour thriller against Mariano Navone at 2024 Bastad Open

After the match, the 38-year-old took to social media and lauded Borges for winning his first ATP title. He wrote on Instagram, “Congratulations to Nuno for his first ATP Tour title. Very well deserved and a special moment for him. All the best for the rest of the year and the career that as he said it’s worth to pursue now more than ever.”

Rafael Nadal also addressed the staff at the Bastad Open and praised them for their work. He further wrote, “It was great to be in a final again. It was great to be back in Båstad. Many thanks to all the teams organizing this great event. Krister, Magnus, Anna, Annika, Isabella and the rest of the amazing staff who takes care of every single player and every single detail. To all my fans around the world, thanks for the support.”

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A post shared by Rafa Nadal (@rafaelnadal)

The Spaniard will team up with countryman Carlos Alcaraz to play doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and he has reportedly started practicing with the four-time Grand Slam champion on clay.

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