Rafael Nadal Advances to First Semifinal in Two Years at Nordea Open

Rafael Nadal reached the semifinals of the Nordea Open after a four-hour quarterfinal against Mariano Navone. Nadal won 6-7(2) 7-5 7-5, advancing to his first semifinal in two years. He will compete against Duje Ajdukovic next. Nadal's performance marks a significant milestone in his preparations for the Paris Olympics.

Rafael Nadal advanced to his first semifinal in two years after a grueling four-hour quarterfinal at the Nordea Open on Friday.

Nadal triumphed 6-7(2) 7-5 7-5 against 36th-ranked Mariano Navone of Argentina, rallying from a 5-2 lead in the deciding set.

'I lost my concentration at times but managed to hold physically until the end,' Nadal said in an on-court interview. 'That is so important for me. Let's see how I am tomorrow, but today I am alive and in the semifinals.' The 38-year-old Nadal is competing in his first tournament since an early exit at the French Open, aiming to prepare for the Paris Olympics on clay at Roland Garros.

In his first semifinal since Wimbledon 2022, Nadal will face Croatian qualifier Duje Ajdukovic on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies.)