Rafael Nadal, the 38-year-old Spanish tennis legend, continued his impressive comeback at the ATP 250 Bastad tournament in Sweden, defeating Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. This victory marks Nadal’s first clay-court quarter-final since Roland Garros in 2022, and his fifth consecutive win against Norrie without dropping a set.Nadal’s performance was characterized by strength and consistency, particularly with his serve and forehand. He made 5 aces and converted 3 out of 7 break points. The match was not without challenges, as Nadal fell over in the first game of the second set, requiring treatment for scrapes before mounting a comeback from a 4-1 deficit to win five consecutive games.After the match, Nadal expressed satisfaction with his performance but acknowledged areas for improvement. He stated, ‘Great feelings. It’s been a while without playing on the Tour since Roland Garros. To have the chance to compete well against a great player like Cameron is a great feeling’. He also noted the need to maintain pressure on his opponents throughout matches.Nadal’s focus remains on preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He chose to skip Wimbledon to concentrate on this goal. In addition to singles, Nadal will compete in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz at the Olympics.The Spanish champion will face Argentine fourth seed Mariano Navone in the quarterfinals. This tournament is crucial for Nadal’s Olympic preparations, as he aims to arrive in Paris in peak condition.
Key points
- Rafael Nadal defeated Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Bastad tournament.
- This victory marks Nadal’s first clay-court quarter-final since Roland Garros in 2022.
- Nadal is focusing on preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics, including doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
- Nadal will face Argentine fourth seed Mariano Navone in the quarterfinals.
Contradictions👾There is a slight discrepancy in reporting the score of the second set.
Most sources report it as 6-4, but one source reports it as 7-5.
