Grigor Dimitrov Battles into Bastad Second Round, Sets Up Clash with Defending Champion Borges

Båstad (Sweden), July 2026 : Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov produced a gritty comeback to defeat Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-4 and advance to the second round of the Nordea Open in Bastad on Tuesday, continuing his impressive run of form following Wimbledon.

The 35-year-old former World No. 3 showcased his experience and resilience in a hard-fought contest lasting two hours and 24 minutes to secure his place in the ATP 250 clay-court tournament’s second round. Dimitrov will now face fifth seed and defending champion Nuno Borges of Portugal, who eased past French wildcard Moise Kouame 6-4, 6-2.

The victory also earned Dimitrov a notable milestone, making him the second-oldest player to win a match at the Bastad event this decade. Only Rafael Nadal, who reached the final as a 38-year-old in 2024, was older when recording a victory at the Swedish tournament.

Returning to Bastad for the first time since 2013, Dimitrov adapted quickly to the clay after his recent fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon. The Bulgarian had previously enjoyed semifinal runs at the tournament in 2012 and 2013 and once again demonstrated his fighting spirit despite difficult conditions.

After trailing 3-5 in the opening set, Dimitrov recovered to force a tie-break, which he edged to seize the early advantage. However, Svrcina responded emphatically by dominating the second set 6-1, taking advantage of a dip in Dimitrov’s rhythm to level the match.

The deciding set proved equally dramatic. Dimitrov initially surrendered a break advantage but remained composed during the closing stages, using his vast experience to regain control and eventually seal victory.

Reflecting on the challenging transition from grass to clay, Dimitrov admitted it had not been an easy adjustment.

“The conditions are extremely different from where I have come from, and at my age I need a few extra days to adapt. Today was all about fighting,” Dimitrov said after the match.

He also praised his young opponent for an energetic display.

“I wasn’t at my best, but he was an outstanding competitor. He moved incredibly well, mixed in plenty of drop shots and went for his winners. I had to rely on my experience and pick the right moments to attack,” he added.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Italy’s Andrea Pellegrino, ranked No. 138 in the ATP rankings, defeated promising Norwegian Nicolai Budov Kjaer 6-3, 6-2 to record his first ATP Tour-level victory since his memorable win over Frances Tiafoe at the Rome Masters earlier this year. Pellegrino now faces top seed Andrey Rublev in the next round.

Sixth seed Botic van de Zandschulp also progressed after defeating Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 7-6(0), 6-4, while Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante continued his fine form with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Austria’s Sebastian Ofner to book his place in the second round.