Rafael Nadal was swept aside in devastating fashion as he chased a bumper payday days after being told he’d never get back to his brilliant best. The Spanish tennis icon reached his first final since the 2022 French Open but lost 6-3, 6-2 to Nuno Borges in the final of the Swedish Open in Bastad.

Nadal came from a set down to beat Duje Ajdukovic and secure a spot in Sunday’s decider. However, he hit a ceiling against Portuguese No 1 Borges and was outclassed in straight sets as he sought to end his win drought on Swedish soil.

The 38-year-old fell short of the €88,000 (£74,000) first-place prize on offer in Bastad, though his £43,000 consolation prize is nothing to be sniffed at. That being said, he’ll have been particularly disappointed to fall short after downbeat comments from Coco Gauff’s coach, Brad Gilbert, who recently rubbed salt in the wound that Nadal’s best days are behind him.

“He’s probably never going to reach his best level again,” Gilbert told CLAY. “But I think more than anything, all athletes want to be able to go out on their own terms.

“They want to be and decide that you know what maybe it’s time for me to stop so he’s had so much you know you know injuries over the last two years that he probably hasn’t had a period where he’s really felt healthy and so that’s what he wants to know more than anything, before he stops what his game is like when he’s fully healthy.”

Nadal had been in an upbeat mood following his hard-fought win over the hard-hitting Ajdukovic. The 22-time Grand Slam champion said it was ‘great’ to be back in a final and felt this week’s tough games had helped him take strides forward ahead of the Olympics.

However, it wasn’t to be for Nadal as Borges claimed a historic victory. Speaking afterwards, an emotional Borges said: “I don’t know what to say. I think I was wishing for this moment for a while. It is crazy tennis, it doesn’t happen when you expect it sometimes.

“I know we all wanted Rafa to win and a part of me wished that too but something even bigger inside of me really pushed through today. Through the emotions and all the ups and downs.

“It wasn’t about playing my best tennis today. It was just about coming through in the big moments and I couldn’t have played better. I don’t know what to say, I am very emotional.”