Nadal beats Ajdukovic at ATP event in Bastad, returning to final after two years

Rafael Nadal Overcoming accumulated fatigue, the Croatian performed well Douje Ajdukovic In the title match of the Bastad Championship (Sweden), his first final since the French Open 2022, against the Portuguese Nuno BorgesArgentine executioner Tiago Agustin Tirant.

The tennis player from Manacor is preparing for the tournament Paris Olympicsshowing that despite everything that has happened, he still retains many of the qualities that have kept him at the top for so many years, and that he can become competitive again with unmatched fight, brains and belief.

Quarter-final against Argentina Mariano Navone He had to fight for four hours to get back into the match. The 23-year-old Croatian, ranked 130th in the world, demanded the maximum limit, but he eventually succumbed to Nadal because 2 hours and 13 minutes later 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4.

Bad start

Nadal suffered a huge blow early in the match. The Croatian, seeking to become the first player from the previous group to reach the final of this tournament and feeling no pressure of playing in his first ATP Tour semifinal, had his shot after shot get past him. 0-3 points: seen or not seen After missing the entry service twice. Although the Spaniard responded with a “break”, it was not enough and the score was 4-6 for the Swedish team.

He even gave up his serve again in the first game of the second set. But Nadal never gave up. In 2005 they won in BastadMallorca responded quickly, equalized the score, and secured the victory 6-3 with a break in the sixth game.

With Ajdukovic’s block, Nadal chased the score to 3-0 in the third and final set. The match really looked on track. It was not the case, as the Balkan player mainly recovered the ball with his backhand and returned two breaks to tie the score at 3-3.

Nadal had to cheer up again. He used his experience, fighting ability, mentality and game to receive Ajdukovic’s serve again, chasing the score to 4-3, and finally won the match with a wonderful final (6-4).

“It was a very difficult game”The Spanish tennis player admitted at the end of the match that he valued the Croatian’s powerful backhand and was very happy to return to the final after more than two years, after another complicated crash and recovery process, like the previous two matches.

Nadal’s next challenger for the title in Bastad is Portuguese Nuno Borges, the seventh seed, whom he defeated in two sets in the second semifinal. 6-3 years old6-4 years oldArgentine Thiago Agustin Tirant. This will be the first ATP duel between Nadal and Borges, who, at 27 years old and ranked 51st in the world, will play in his first career final this Sunday.