Nadal is not happy with Bastad level, but ‘no damage’ to body in marathon final run
Rafael Nadal has always had a very broad vision when analyzing his performances. Looking back on his time in Bastad, the Spanish superstar witnessed both sides of the coin following a sad 6-3, 6-2 loss to Nuno Borges on Sunday in the Nordea Open final.
Even though the 38-year-old struggled to reach his first final since Roland Garros in 2022, he was encouraged by the way his body managed the demanding match play on the clay courts of the ATP 250. Nevertheless, Nadal was not thrilled with his tennis overall.
Regarding his Sunday performance, he commented, “The level was so far from what it should be.” Most likely the energy as well. With lengthy matches, this week has been very long. I don’t have any physical harm, which is significant, but I’m not used to playing long matches and four days in a row emotionally or physically.”
Nadal defeated fourth seed Mariano Navone and Duje Ajdukovic in three-set marathons over the course of the next two days after defeating fifth seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets on Thursday. When Nadal went flat against Borges on Sunday, it seemed as though the battles had taken a toll.
“I need to analyse well and find the reason why I played that way, even if the energy was not right,” he stated. “There are many things that must occur on the court in order to perform at the caliber that I do. This is the kind of thing that can happen in the modern world. I don’t have to conceal anything or lie.”
Nadal, in spite of his sadness, gave Borges all the credit for winning his maiden ATP Tour victory and rising to a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 42: Following their initial Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, Rafael Nadal remarked, “I have to give the credit to him.” “He accomplished a lot, didn’t miss many, and came back strong. He took use of opportunities, therefore congratulations and happiness to him. Compared to the other players in this event, he was the one who earned it the most. I hope he relishes this wonderful occasion.”
Nadal is optimistic that he can carry over his strong performance from practice to the match court as he prepares for the Paris Olympics at Roland Garros, where he will play singles and doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. He was not quite satisfied with his tennis game, even while he was winning in Bastad.
Considering this week’s overall picture, he remarked, “I played the final, that’s positive.” “It’s good that I was able to play extended games without getting hurt.
“In a strange way, I thought that my practice when I got here was superior to my performance over the entire tournament week. That is one thing I find lacking in satisfaction. I felt like I was playing at a high level when I came here, but I was unable to demonstrate that over the entire week. That is something I find unacceptable.
“Well, it’s the final, and because it’s the first one in a long time, I can’t say it’s a horrible outcome. However, I was unable to feel comfortable enough for the entire week to be happy with the tennis I played.”
