After losing the Bastad final 6-3, 6-2 to Nuno Borges, Rafael Nadal took stock of his performance at the Nordea Open. Despite reaching his first final since his Roland-Garros title two years ago, Nadal expressed dissatisfaction with his current level of play.
“Empty of energy, physically and mentally” against Borges, Nadal attributed his exhaustion to the rigorous matches leading up to the final. He spent six hours and 12 minutes on court within 24 hours, overcoming Mariano Navone and Duje Ajdukovic in grueling battles. Reflecting on his fitness, Nadal stated, “I was able to play long matches without any (physical) discomfort, which is a good sign.”
Despite his physical endurance, Nadal was not pleased with his gameplay. “My level of play was far from the one I produced in training,” he explained. He highlighted the discrepancy between his training performance and match performance, noting, “I arrived here (in Bastad) with a very good feeling about my game, because of what I was doing in training. But I wasn’t able to show it during the games.”
Now, Nadal’s focus shifts to the Paris Olympics, where he aims to find the right form. “The Olympics are the most important event in sport, it’s special to represent Spain. I’m looking forward to this week of preparation,” he said. Nadal will compete in both singles and men’s doubles with Carlos Alcaraz. Expressing confidence in their partnership, he stated, “I know that if I play well in singles, I will also play well in doubles, but I will have to work hard.”
Nadal’s participation in his third Olympics is significant. He already boasts two gold medals: one in singles from Beijing and another in doubles from Rio with Marc López. A potential third medal at Roland-Garros would further cement his legacy. Convinced of Alcaraz’s potential, Nadal added, “I’m convinced that Carlos will be at a great level, knowing that he arrives with confidence.”
As Nadal prepares for the Olympic tournament starting on July 27, his determination to represent Spain and achieve excellence remains undeterred.
Rafael Nadal in 2024
Now the world no.161, Nadal played his last match on the 21st of July when he was defeated by world no.42 Nuno Borges 6-3 6-2 in the final in Bastad (draw).
Currently, during this season Nadal owns an overall 11-6 win-loss record. Rafael Nadal’s latest run in Bastad was the best achievement of his season.
Nadal has scheduled to compete next at the U.S. Open (U.S. Open). He will start the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 26th of August.
Rafael Nadal |
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