July 18, 2024, 1:09 PM
July 18, 2024, 1:09 PM
Rafael Nadal, former world number 1 who has fallen to 261st place in the ATP rankings, qualified this Thursday for the quarter-finals of the ATP tournament in Bastad (Sweden) by defeating the British Cameron Norrie (42nd) by a double 6-4.
Nadal decided to go to this Swedish event because it is being played on clay, the same surface on which his next big challenge, the Olympic tournament, will be played. He had not participated in Bastad since the edition he won in 2005, when he was 19 years old.
Eliminated in the first round this year at Roland Garros, the 38-year-old Mallorcan player had decided to give up the grass-court swing, including Wimbledon, so as not to derail his clay-court preparation on his way to the Olympic Games.
He had started in the Bastad singles draw on Tuesday, beating Leo Borg, son of Swedish legend Bjorn Borg, in the first round. This match against Norrie was in the second round. [octavos de final].
“It’s a nice feeling. I’m playing good tennis, although I need to be more aggressive. But I haven’t played much lately,” Nadal said after his victory.
During Thursday’s match he had a scare in the first game of the second set, when he fell on his back after slipping. He was treated by the doctor for an injury to his elbow.
Norrie went as far as 4-1 ahead in the second set before the Spaniard reeled off five straight wins to prevent the match from going into a third set.
In the quarter-finals, Nadal’s opponent will be Argentine Mariano Navone (36th), who eliminated Indian Sumit Nagal (68th) 6-4 and 6-2.
– Individuals – Second round:
Timofey Skatov (KAZ) defeated Tallon Griekspoor (NED/N.3) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
Rafael Nadal (ESP) beats Cameron Norrie (GBR/N.5) 6-4, 6-4
Mariano Navone (ARG/N.4) defeats Sumit Nagal (IND) 6-4, 6-2
