Rafael Nadal beats Cameron Norrie to reach Bastad QFs | ATP Tour

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Impressive Nadal beats Norrie to win quarterfinals in Bastad

The former world number 1 will next play fourth-seeded Navone

July 18, 2024

Rafael Nadal delivered one of his most complete performances of the 2024 season on Thursday at the Nordea Open.

The former PIF ATP Rankings No. 1 defeated fifth seed Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 in Bastad to reach his second ATP Tour quarter-final of the season. After taking the only break of a tight first set, Nadal came back from 1-4 down in the second set to survive a tough second-round test on the ATP 250 clay court.

Great feelings. I haven’t played on tour for a while, since Roland Garros. To have the chance to compete well with a great player like Cameron is a great feeling, Nadal said in his on-court interview. I think in some moments I played good tennis, in other moments I need to be a bit more aggressive, but that’s part of the journey today.

I haven't played that much, so games and victories like today help. Staying in rhythm the whole game and keeping the pressure on the opponent the whole game, that's something I have to improve, because I haven't played enough.

Rafa returns to the Elite @Rafael Nadal triumphs 6-4 6-4 for his first quarter-final ticket since January @NordeaOpen | #NordeaOpen photo.twitter.com/yOImxXwxKj

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 18, 2024

While the Spaniard had shown glimpses of his imperious best in his previous 13 tour-level matches in 2024, Thursday's match against left-hander Norrie was perhaps his most consistent performance. A rock-solid Nadal demolished the Briton, himself one of the hardest grinders on tour, to complete an hour and 43-minute triumph.

Nadal took control after a thrilling opening few games by winning three straight games from 2-3. He held off two break points at 5-4 before holding serve to win a high-quality first set, then recovered in style from a slight drop in form early in the second set. Nadal won 14 straight points from 1-4, 0/15, and eventually won the last five games of the match to extend his lead in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Norrie to 5-1.

I feel like he was a little bit better than me in some way at the beginning of the match, because he won his serve quite easily, and my serve was a little bit more of a problem for me, Nadal said. But I was the player who got the break. Then at the beginning of the second set I played better than him. I had break points and I had more control, but I played a bad game and he played a good game and he broke me.

So I said to myself, okay, it's 1-4, but it could also be 4-1 for me, so I just have to keep doing what I'm doing. I probably played a little bit more aggressive with my backhand, which I think worked a little bit better towards the end of the match. That makes the difference. With the forehand I'm very happy, and with the serve as well.

Nadal hit the ball cleanly from both wings throughout the match and held back no matter what in chasing balls to both corners of the court. He won 74 percent (32/43) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, a solid foundation that allowed him to win many easy points on his serve with some trademark second-strike winners.

The only physical concern for the 38-year-old Nadal came when he fell over his left leg while trying to slide for a ball on 40/Ad in the first game of the second set. He called a physiotherapist to the court at the end of the game to treat the bleeding on his leg and elbow.

Nadal is now 9-5 this season and will face fourth-seeded Mariano Navone in the quarterfinals, hoping to add another title to the one he won in 2005. Navone previously defeated Sumit Nagal 6-4, 6-2.

He is a player who is playing so well this year, winning a lot of matches, especially on clay, Nadal said of the world number 36, Navone. It is the quarterfinals of a historic event on the tour like Bastad. You can't expect an easy opponent. I'm just focusing on getting better every day, trying to play every day. I know it's going to be tough, but I really hope to play good tennis and give myself a chance.

Qualifier Timofey Skatov also booked his last eight spot in Bastad on Thursday. The Kazakhstani surprised third seed Tallon Griekspoor 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first quarter-final on the ATP Tour. The 23-year-old Skatov, who is number 223 in the PIF ATP Rankings, will now face seventh seed Nuno Borges after the Portuguese defeated his #NextGenATP compatriot Henrique Rocha 1-6, 6-4, 6-0.