Rafa Nadal continues his preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Spaniard Rafa Nadal maintains his firm pace in the final stretch of his preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by qualifying for the semi-finals of the Bastad tournament in Sweden, where the former world number one left a very good impression ahead of the universal event that starts next Friday.

The Mallorcan defeated Argentine Mariano Navone on Friday after a demanding performance that lasted four hours and in which the former world number one managed to win with scores of 6-7 (2), 7-5 and 7-5.

“This is very important for me. We will see how I am tomorrow, but today I am alive and in the semi-finals, so it is very important.”commented an excited Rafael Nadal after his hard-fought victory in statements reported by the EFE news agency.

The Spaniard is completing a great performance in Sweden where he had just beaten the British Cameron Norrie without any major problems with a double 6-4 with which he had sealed his ticket to the quarter-finals of the tournament that is played on clay and accumulates points for the ATP ranking.

The Spaniard’s victory over Norris, the fifth seed, was preceded by his triumph over local Leo Bjorg (6-3 and 6-4) in what is his return to action after his elimination in the first round of Roland Garros at the end of May against German Alexander Zverev (6-3, 7-5 and 6-3).

“In the third set I was ahead again 5-2, but he is a great fighter and played a great match. I wish him all the best for the rest of the season.”said Rafa Nadal, referring to the demands that the Argentine tennis player placed on him in their match played this Friday.

The Spaniard will now face Croatian Duje Ajdukovic in what is his first semi-final since the one he played at Wimbledon 2022. Additionally, the Mallorcan will have a very intense Saturday when he plays the doubles draw alongside Norwegian Casper Ruud.

Rafa Nadal, at 38 years old, is preparing to compete in his fourth Olympic Games in Paris 2024, where the Spaniard has already won the gold medal (Beijing 2008) in both singles and doubles (Rio 2016), the latter of which he hopes to repeat in this edition partnering Carlos Alcaraz.

The Mallorcan will also be participating in the singles draw at Paris 2024, as announced at the time by the Spanish national team coach, David Ferrer. It will be an emotional farewell for this living legend of world tennis at this universal event.

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