Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud Save Match Point to Reach Doubles Semi-Finals in Bastad

Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud displayed resilience and skill as they saved a match point in a thrilling deciding set tie-break to secure their spot in the doubles semi-finals at Bastad on Wednesday. The duo narrowly edged past France’s Theo Arribage and Roman Safiullin of Russia with a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 12-10 victory, rallying to win the final three points after facing imminent defeat. Reflecting on their intense match, Nadal expressed satisfaction with their performance against formidable opponents.

“I think we had some fun. It was an emotional match at the end, a good level of tennis against two good players,” said Nadal, who is also actively competing in the singles tournament. “We enjoyed it, and the crowd was amazing. Having a full crowd in a doubles match is fantastic. We’re just enjoying every single day here.”

As they await their semi-final opponents, Nadal will continue his campaign in both singles and doubles. He is scheduled to face Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the singles round of 16 on Thursday, aiming to make further strides in his comeback after a recent absence from competition following an early exit at the French Open.

Meanwhile, Casper Ruud, after his singles defeat earlier in the day to Thiago Monteiro, will refocus on his doubles pursuit alongside Nadal. Ruud, a strong contender with multiple Grand Slam finals appearances, remains determined to bounce back and regain momentum ahead of his upcoming tournaments.

In another notable upset, world number 121 Thiago Tirante of Argentina delivered a career-defining performance by defeating top seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-4. This victory marks a significant milestone for Tirante and underscores the competitive nature of the Bastad tournament.