Guess who's back in the finals! 🎾 Rafael Nadal just made an epic comeback, reaching his first final since the 2022 French Open. He battled it out against Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic at the clay-court Nordea Open on Saturday, winning with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Talk about a nail-biter!
After a grueling four-hour quarterfinal against Argentina's Mariano Navone on Friday, Nadal started off a bit slow against Ajdukovic. He even faced a break in the second set. 😱 But in true Rafa style, he turned the match around!
\"My opponent had one of the best backhands that I played against,\" Nadal admitted. \"It was very, very difficult, honestly, but I found a way to survive and be through to that final after a long time without being in a final. So that's great news and I'm very happy with that.\"
Next up, Nadal faces Portugal's Nuno Borges, who cruised past Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first Tour-level final. It's gonna be legendary! 😍
Fun fact: This is the first time Nadal is playing at the tournament in Sweden since he won the title as a 19-year-old back in 2005. Flashback vibes, anyone? 🕺 He's gearing up to compete on clay at Roland Garros during the Paris Summer Olympics. Yes, the King of Clay is aiming for more glory!
The 38-year-old skipped Wimbledon because he didn't want the surface switch to risk any injuries. He's been dealing with hip and abdominal issues over the past year and a half, but he's showing no signs of slowing down. Keep slaying, Rafa! 💪
Reference(s):
Nadal reaches first final since 2022 French Open by beating Ajdukovic
cgtn.com
