“Part of me wanted Rafa to win,” Fanboy Nuno Borges speaks about how ‘something bigger inside him’ pushed him to win against Rafael Nadal

Borges became only the fourth player to beat Nadal in straight sets in a final on clay.

“Part of me wanted Rafa to win,” Fanboy Nuno Borges speaks about how ‘something bigger inside him’ pushed him to win against Rafael Nadal

Nuno Borges and Rafael Nadal after the men's single final at Bastad.(Image via Imago)

Portuguese No. 1 Nuno Borges won his maiden tour-level trophy in Bastad on Sunday following his most famous win to date. He beat Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, breaking his serve five times along the way, to emerge victorious.

With the win, Borges became just the fourth player to outlast the Spaniard in a clay court final without dropping a set. It also saw him climb to a career-high ranking of World No. 42.

In his post-match press conference, Borges disclosed that he idolized Nadal throughout his career and that a part of him was rooting for his opponent in the Bastad final. 

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I don’t know what to say. I think I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while. Tennis doesn’t happen when you expect it. I know we all wanted Rafa to win. Part of me wants that too. But something bigger inside me pushed me to do it. It wasn’t about playing at my best but about rising to the occasion in the important moments. I couldn’t have played better. I’m very emotional.

Nuno Borges said

The Portuguese player rose to the occasion and did not give Nadal any chance of taking control of the contest. He won in straight sets to clinch his maiden ATP title. 

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Competing against Rafael Nadal on the red dirt is often regarded as the hardest task in tennis. Very few have been able to hold their own against the Spaniard on clay and even fewer have gotten the better of him on the surface. 

Nuno Borges
Nuno Borges (Via Imago)

Before Nuno Borgesm only three players have beaten Nadal in straight sets in a final on clay. A week ago, this list only had three big names – Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.  

Roger Federer defeated the 38-year-old 6-4, 6-4 in the 2009 Madrid Open final. Novak Djokovic achieved the feat thrice – twice in 2011 (7-5, 6-4 win in Madrid and 6-4, 6-4 in Rome) and once in 2013 (6-2, 7-6 in Monte Carlo). Andy Murray also managed to do the same in 2015 when he pipped Nadal to the title with a 6-3, 6-2 win in Madrid.

With his win in Bastad, Borges has now added his name to an elite group of players.

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