Swedish Open Site
July 8, 2024
17-year old Rafael Nadal caused the upset of the day in B�stad when he defeated Younes El Aynaoui by 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Nadal got the early edge and instantly showed the Swedish crowd that he is a tremendous prospect for the future. He used El Aynaoui's weaker backhand side to his advantage. But the Moroccan showed a lot of heart and worked his way into the match. With the match leveled at one set all and 2-3 in the third, Nadal got the crucial break that ultimately decided the outcome of the match.
Nadal got his breakthrough last year when he won six Futures and reached the semifinal of the ATP event in Barcelona. He advanced more than 600 spots on the rankings and has continued to rise this year. On the Challenger level, he has won one title and reached four finals. Most remarkably, he has beaten both Albert Costa and Carlos Moya during his short professional career.
Nadal plays a new kind of Spanish tennis, which makes it possible for him to excel on all surfaces. Earlier this year, he became the first 16-year old to crack the top 100 since Michael Chang during the 1980's.
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