Despite being a seasoned player at 38, tennis icon Rafael Nadal is showing his competitive spirit once again, surprising many in the 2024 season.
At the Nordea Open in Bastad, Sweden, Nadal pulled off an impressive upset by defeating No. 4 seed Mariano Navone in a thrilling four-hour, three-set match with a score of 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-5. This victory marks his first ATP Tour semifinal since Wimbledon in 2022, where he had to withdraw due to a torn abdominal muscle after defeating Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals. Thankfully, he’s now in good health.
Prior to this win, Nadal had already showcased his strength by defeating No. 5 seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, in the tournament.
Reflecting on his triumph, Nadal shared during his postgame interview with ATPTour.com, “I lost concentration at times, but I managed to push through physically until the end. Maintaining my performance is crucial for me. I’ll see how I feel tomorrow, but today I’m alive and in the semis, which is very important.”
Nadal, a former world No. 1, holds an exceptional record of 22 Grand Slam titles, including a remarkable 14 French Open victories. Known as the “King of Clay” for his dominance on that surface, Nadal faced setbacks like a hip injury that led to his temporary descent from the top 10 rankings for the first time in 18 years in 2023.
After his return in early 2024 was dampened by a muscle injury causing him to miss the Australian Open, Nadal made a strategic decision to skip the grass court season. Now, that decision appears to have paid off with his current Nordea Open success.
Despite a tense third set in the quarterfinal match against Navone, where Nadal took a seemingly secure 5-2 lead only to face a strong comeback from the 36th-ranked player, he managed to pull through and secure the victory.
Next, Nadal will face 23-year-old Duje Ajduković, currently ranked at No. 130 in the world, in the semifinals on Saturday at 4 a.m. PT/7 p.m. ET.