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World number 51 Nuno Borges beat Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-2 to win the Swedish Open in Bastad.<\/b><\/p>\n
Spaniard Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, slipped to a resounding defeat in his first final since 2022.<\/p>\n
Hampered by injury in recent years, the 38-year-old has fallen to 261 in the rankings and opted against playing at Wimbledon this summer to prioritise the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Portuguese Borges, playing his first ATP final compared to Nadal’s 131st, took the first set in 46 minutes and won three games in a row in the second to seal victory.<\/p>\n
“It’s crazy. I know we all wanted Rafa to win – a part of me wished that too – but something even bigger inside of me really pushed through today,” said 27-year-old Borges.<\/p>\n
“I was wishing for this moment for a while already.<\/p>\n
“I’m just really happy overall. I really don’t know what to say. I’m very emotional.”<\/p>\n
The Olympic tennis tournament begins in Paris on 27 July.<\/p>\n
Nadal has said playing at Roland Garros, where he has won 14 French Open titles, is his “main goal” this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n