Rafael Nadal couldn’t clinch the 2024 Bastad Open title, but he found many positives in the tough week.
Returning to action after a break since May 27th, 2024, Nadal wanted to gauge his performance ahead of the Paris Olympics. Despite not labeling Bastad as a warm-up event, he played with full intensity.
Many players use ATP 250 tournaments as practice before big events, but for Nadal, every match counts. He began with doubles alongside Casper Ruud and won against Guido Andreozzi and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela with scores of 6-1, 6-4. Then he defeated Leo Borg in singles (6-3, 6-4) and returned to doubles to beat Theo Arribage and Roman Safiullin (6-4, 3-6, 12-10).
He also overcame Cameron Norrie in singles (6-4, 6-4). By then, Nadal had spent nearly six hours on court over four days. The toughest part was yet to come .
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Nadal | 38 | 215 | 7 - 5 |
Grueling Matches:
In the quarter-final against Mariano Navone, he fought for almost four hours and won (6-7(2), 7-5, 7-5). Next came Duje Ajdukovic in the semi-final; Nadal triumphed again (4-6, 6-3, 6-4) after two hours and fourteen minutes.
Fans might think that such perseverance is what makes him a legend.
By the final match against Nuno Borges (3-6, 2-6), fatigue set in after over twelve hours on court within six days. Despite losing this match and not winning a title since Roland Garros in 2022
Nadal emphasized no physical damage was done during this demanding week: “The level was so far from what it should be. Probably the energy too… Even if my body has no damage—that’s important—but mentally and physically I’m not used to playing four days straight.”
“I need to analyze well why I played that way,” he added. “Even if energy wasn’t right… Things like this happen.”
Despite everything—reaching an ATP final without injury since his last win at Roland Garros made him happy: “I played the final; that’s positive… long matches without injury—that’s good.”
Now focused on Paris Olympics at Roland Garros where he’s won fourteen major trophies—the draw happens Thursday July twenty-fifth two-thousand-twenty-four—and tournament starts Saturday July twenty-seventh two-thousand-twenty-four—with Carlos Alcaraz among top favorites representing Spain along with Nadal himself!
What do you think about Nadal’s performance?
