2024 Bastad Open Draw confirmed: Rafael Nadal v Leo Borg set for opening round

Saturday, 13 July 2024 at 16:13

The 2024 Bastad Open (Nordea Open for sponsorship reasons) will take place between 15-21 July 2024 in Sweden and the draw has now been confirmed with a blockbuster tie between Rafael Nadal and Leo Borg.

Nadal will make his return for the first time since his loss to Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros with a final swansong at the Olympic Games next on his mind. He will face Borg who perhaps despite being ranked inside the top 500 takes focus for name value alone.

Of course with his father being Bjorn Borg, the legendary Swede and has been seen a lot with his son before at tournaments so the intrigue will be whether he will be there in a meeting between a legend and a player hoping to follow in his father's legendary footsteps.

Read also

2024 Bastad Open Prize Money and Points Breakdown with €579,320 on offer

Both are wildcards though so have a tough route through if they do win. Nadal could face Cameron Norrie and then it could be Mariano Navone who has been exceptional at times this season and won't care for reputation.

Top seed though is Andrey Rublev. He won't play the Olympic Games but intriguingly still shifts back over to clay. He faces likely Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round with Roman Safiullin the seed lurking in his quarter. Second seed is Casper Ruud, he faces Federico Coria or Thiago Monteiro.

Ruud is of course the king of European Clay and will hope to continue that this week. He will be favourite for the title. Other top seeds include Tallon Griekspoor, Pavel Kotov and Nuno Borges. Jannik Sinner was due to play but withdrew late with fatigue.

The Bastad Open, also known as the Nordea Open, is an ATP Tour 250 tennis tournament held annually in Bastad, Sweden. The tournament, which takes place on outdoor clay courts at the Bastad Tennis Stadium, has a rich history dating back to its inception in 1948. The venue is known for its excellent facilities and scenic location, making it a favorite among players and fans.

Read also

TV GUIDE: How to watch Nadal, Zverev and Tsitsipas at Bastad Open, Hamburg Open, Hall of Fame Open and Swiss Open Gstaad

Notable Achievements

Player Dominance:Swedish players have historically dominated the tournament, with legends like Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, and Magnus Gustafsson having multiple wins. Magnus Gustafsson holds the record for the most titles, with four wins between 1991 and 1998.Other notable champions include Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, and Casper Ruud.
Swedish players have historically dominated the tournament, with legends like Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, and Magnus Gustafsson having multiple wins. Magnus Gustafsson holds the record for the most titles, with four wins between 1991 and 1998.
Other notable champions include Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, and Casper Ruud.
Tournament of the Year:The Bastad Open was voted as the ATP 250 Tournament of the Year for 11 consecutive years from 2002 to 2012, highlighting its quality and player-friendly environment.
The Bastad Open was voted as the ATP 250 Tournament of the Year for 11 consecutive years from 2002 to 2012, highlighting its quality and player-friendly environment.

Recent Winners

2023: Andrey Rublev defeated Casper Ruud with a score of 7-6(3), 6-0 to win his second tour-level title of the season. Rublev's powerful performance and strategic play on clay were key to his victory.
2022: Francisco Cerundolo won the title, marking a significant achievement in his career.

Historical Finals

The tournament has seen many memorable finals. Here are a few notable ones:

1950: Eric Sturgess (South Africa) defeated Torsten Johansson (Sweden).
1970: Dick Crealy (Australia) triumphed over Georges Goven (France).
1983: Mats Wilander (Sweden) won against Henrik Sundström (Sweden).
2005: Rafael Nadal (Spain) won his first Bastad Open title, establishing himself as a formidable player on clay.