Nuno Borges beat Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2 in the Swedish Open final.
He entered the Swedish ATP 250 event to get some minutes in his legs, and he impressed on his way to the final. However, Nadal was unable to reach his peak performance, as world No.51 Borges won his first victory of his career.
Nadal struggled from the start, with a 40% first serve rate in the first set.
The 38-year-old got off to the worst possible start on red clay, serving a double fault and falling behind 2-0.
After dominating a baseline rally, the Spaniard broke straight back into the net, and Borges launched a long-range pass.
Nobody was able to hold serve in the early exchanges, as Borges took three straight breaks to lead 3-1.
Borges pushed on and won the opening set 6-3 in 46 minutes.
The second set began considerably closer, with Borges breaking to make it 3-2. The 27-year-old Portuguese star then showcased his might, storming to a 6-2 victory.
Borges stated after the match, “I’m at a loss for words. I believe I had been longing for this moment for quite some time.
“Tennis is chaotic, and things don’t always go as planned.
“I know we all wanted Rafa to win, and a part of me did as well, but something larger inside of me came through today. Through the emotions, ups and downs.
“I wasn’t trying to play my best tennis today. It was all about come through in crucial moments, and I couldn’t have played better. “I don’t know what to say; I’m very emotional.”