Rafael Nadal's impressive streak at the clay-court Nordea Open came to an end on Sunday as he was defeated by Nuno Borges in the final.

The Portuguese player, seeded seventh, managed to break Nadal's serve five times en route to his first ATP tour win. This final marked Nadal's first appearance in a final since the 2022 French Open.

“It’s crazy, in tennis it doesn’t happen when you expect it sometimes,” said Borges. “I know we all wanted Rafa to win, a part of me wished that too, but something even bigger inside of me really pushed through today.”

Nadal, 38, made his return to the tournament in Sweden, where he last won the title as a 19-year-old in 2005. His decision to skip Wimbledon was due to his desire to avoid switching surfaces from grass to clay and risking injury, as he has been dealing with hip and abdominal injuries for the past 1 1/2 years. This return to the tournament in Sweden serves as preparation for the Olympic tournament on clay at Roland Garros in Paris.