Nadal denied as Borges claims first Tour title
Nuno Borges put in a rock-solid performance to claim his first ATP Tour title, denying Rafael Nadal his first singles title since 2022 in a stright sets upset.
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Borges was too strong as he raced to a 6-3 6-2 victory over Nadal, who is looking for form ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Portuguese Borges took the first two games before the pair traded breaks, although Borges's early edge put him in control to take the first set.
Nadal, who was forced to go the distance in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, struggled to match Borges's attack despite a strong start to the second set.
The No.7 seed proceeded to win the last five games in a row to squash Nadal's hopes of a 93rd singles title, earning a maiden trophy of his own.
Borges was at the top of his game as he downed the 22-time grand slam winner, breaking Nadal's serve five times en route to victory.
While Nadal's tournament ended in defeat, there are positives to take from Bastad having reached his first final since the 2022 French Open, and he heads to the Olympics with an 11-6 record.