Rafael Nadal reaches Nordea Open semi-finals with epic comeback victory over Mariano Navone after four hours

Rafael Nadal, 38, showed his extraordinary resilience to edge a gritty four-hour battle with Argentine Mariano Navone to reach the semi-finals of the Nordea Open in Sweden. After one of the longest three-set matches of his career, Nadal said he was delighted to be able to hold on and see the victory out. “I was able to hold physically and that’s so important for me, let’s see how I am tomorrow."

'I am alive and in the semi-finals' - Nadal delighted to secure victory over Navone

Video credit: SNTV

Rafael Nadal continued his Nordea Open campaign with a tough 6-7(2) 7-5 7-5 win over Mariano Navone to reach his first semi-final since Wimbledon 2022.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion was made to work hard for a spot in the last four but held out to get the job done in a minute over four hours and will meet qualifier Duje Ajdukovic in the next round for a spot in the final.

Nadal, who was informed in his on-court interview that it was the second-longest three-set match of his career, was pleased to be able to “hold physically” in the demanding conditions.

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“A lot of changing dynamics in every single set, for moments he was in control and for moments I was in control,” the 38-year-old said. “But in the end, no one was in control.

“I was able to hold physically and that’s so important for me, let’s see how I am tomorrow. Today, I am alive and I am in the semi-finals.”

Friday’s clash against Navone was Nadal's first quarter-final since the Brisbane International in January.

There was a break of serve for both players in the opening two games, with Nadal rolling back the years with a superb forehand to wipe out Navone's brief advantage.

But the precocious Argentine broke Nadal again, before claiming the first hold of the match to go 3-1 ahead. He left Nadal on the ropes after moving a double break in front but surrendered his serve again in a topsy-turvy first set.

The contest started to settle down as Nadal found his rhythm and sealed a comfortable hold to love with a delightful backhand at 4-5, forcing Navone to serve for the opener. Nadal managed to swat away three set points in style and levelled the scores with another brilliant forehand of that devastating left hand.

Another convincing hold to love followed, and suddenly, Navone was left serving to stay in the set. The Argentine sent a backhand wide and gave Nadal his first set point which the Spaniard hit into the net.

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Video credit: SNTV

Navone would take a hard-fought hold ahead of a tie-break, which he took convincingly at 7-2. The highlight was a delightful sliced cross-court backhand to go 4-0 in front, and the 23-year-old had drawn first blood after an hour and 24 minutes.

Nadal was a man on a mission at the start of the second set, moving a double break up to take a 3-0 lead. Nadal looked well on his way to claiming the second set, but Navone proved his mettle once again to win the next four games and regain his advantage.

Navone was moving incredibly well and was one game away from victory after the Spaniard hit a return into the net.

Nadal fought hard to level the scores at 5-5, and there were signs that the match would go the distance, and it did when Nadal eventually broke the Navone serve once more before a smash put away levelled the scores with two and a half hours on the clock.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion looked to be carrying his momentum into the decider as he brought up a break point in the opening game, but Navone held firm to deny him.

The tables turned quickly, however, as Navone found his form, and Nadal surrendered his serve to go down 2-0. However, he conjured a wicked forehand winner to tee up another break point in the following game, and Navone netted a backhand as the match screeched back on serve.

Navone, the world No. 36, continued to threaten the Nadal serve with a couple of break points, but the veteran found a trademark lassoed forehand winner down the line and a big first serve to finally level at 2-2.

Buoyed by his rising level, Nadal mustered two break points in the following game but a brilliant Navone cross-court forehand nullified the first.

Navone stepped in and plundered a backhand deep which Nadal could only scoop long as the second went amiss, but a return winner kept the pressure on with a third break opportunity, which went awry when Nadal netted a backhand.

The 14-time Roland-Garros champion was playing some scintillating stuff as he continued to threaten what seemed to be a crucial break, and he thundered a backhand winner down the line to set up a fifth opportunity.

He went after the Navone second serve with a looping forehand return, which the fourth seed could only slice into the tramlines, and Nadal had seized the initiative.

Nadal followed up with a double break and earned the chance to serve for the match, but Navone fought back to seal his seventh break of the afternoon to make life difficult for the former world No. 1.

After a strong hold from Navone to bring the scores up to 5-4, Nadal had another chance to put himself in the semi-finals but was outdone by a sensational cross-court forehand, as Navone broke again to level the third set.

Stunningly, Nadal immediately broke back with an aggressive game and once more, just needed to hold his serve to book his spot in the last four. He rocketed ahead in the game to earn three match points at 40-0 and finished in style with a hold to love.

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