Rafael Nadal Survives Epic 4-Hour Match in Swedish Open

Rafael Nadal narrowly defeated Mariano Navone in the Swedish Open.

Rafael Nadal advances to the semifinals in Bastad. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

While most tennis players took a break from clay for grass court season, Rafael Nadal never left his favorite surface. That plan to prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics at Roland Garros might already be paying off.

Earlier today, Nadal defeated Mariano Navone in the quarterfinal of the Swedish (Nordea) Open: 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-5. The epic battle lasted over four hours.

It was not the best Nadal has ever looked, but a win is a win. Even better, it marks the first time he will reach the semifinals of a tournament since Wimbledon in 2022.

Heart, fight, desire = @RafaelNadal 🙌⏰

3 hours 59 mins, that epic was Nadal's second-longest clash EVER over three sets@NordeaOpen | #NordeaOpen pic.twitter.com/GXxxh1vqMy

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 19, 2024

After the match, Nadal said, "For moments, he was in control. For moments, I was in control. At the end, no one was in control. That's the truth."

Nadal said, "I lost for some moments my concentration, but I was able to hold physically until the end," said Nadal, who raised his arms to the sky with joy on match point, in his 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, so that's very important."

Today was Nadal's second-longest three-match set of his career - just three minutes shorter than his 2009 match in Madrid against Novak Djokovic.

Nadal faces Duje Ajduković in the semifinals tomorrow morning. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

Further Reading: Toni Nadal rips Novak Djokovic's strategy against Carlos Alcaraz.