Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud win first round of Bastad Open doubles in preparation for Olympic Games

FIRST SET

In the first set, it started very well for Nadal and Ruud. The duo managed to win their first game without any problems and then led 15-40 on the first serve of their opponents. Despite the fact that the first chance did not work out, they got the first break of the match in the second, which they then consolidated.

Although Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud had 3 break points in the next game, Andreozzi and Reyes-Varela saved them all and won their first game of the match 3-1. Then it was the Spaniard and the Norwegian who had to convert two break chances, which they saved and made it 4-1.

That match would prove to be very important mentally, as in the next match Nadal and Ruud again made a crucial break, bringing them to 5-1 and giving them the chance to decide the first set early. In their second set point the Spanish-Norwegian duo managed to win the match and take a 6-1 lead.

SECOND SET

In the second set, Andreozzi and Reyes-Varela had to endure a tough break first. Although they were leading 40-0, the Latin American duo saw how Nadal and Ruud turned the situation around and broke their opponents’ serve with 4 consecutive points. They then confirmed the break to take a 2-0 lead, an unbeatable situation to start the set.

Andreozzi and Reyes-Varela brought it back to 2-1 to stay in the match. But Nadal and Ruud did not want to lose their lead and made it 3-1 with an empty set. After the 3-2 of the Latin American duo, the Spaniard and the Norwegian would get their first break against the match and the set score was 3-3 when suddenly the rain came and the match was temporarily stopped;

The match didn’t take long to get back on track, and it did so with Rafa Nadal and Casper Ruud bringing the break back to their rivals to take a 4-3 lead. With 40-15 in their favour looking to confirm the break, they would have no trouble doing so and were ahead at 5-3 and very close to victory. Andreozzi and Reyes-Varela made it 5-4 with a white game. Nadal and Ruud served to win the match, but once again rain made an appearance and the match was briefly interrupted. In the return they finished the match without any problems to qualify for the second round.