- China to boost credit for property market, renovate 1 mn homes
- New York fight back to take 2-1 lead over Lynx in WNBA Finals
- Family feud reignites over Singapore ex-PM's historic home
- ECB set to cut rates again as inflation cools
- Malinin, Sakamoto headline pre-Winter Olympics figure skating season
- Prospective Paris FC takeover could transform French football landscape
- Asian markets rally, with eyes on China housing briefing
- China's underground lab seeks answer to deep scientific riddle
- China toughens Taiwan stance over president's sovereignty defence
- BTS member J-hope discharged from South Korean military
- How Indigenous guards saved a Colombian lake from overtourism
- Despite threats, Florida abortion advocate fights on
- Garcia Luna: Mexico's 'supercop' turned cartel abettor
- North Korea says constitution now defines South as 'hostile' state
- Vietnam death row tycoon faces verdict in new trial
- Menendez brothers' family call for release as US prosecutors review evidence
- Fiery Harris vows break from Biden in testy Fox interview
- Fiery Harris claims break from Biden in testy Fox interview
- Raytheon to pay $950 mn over fraud, bribery schemes: US
- Fiery Harris uses testy Fox interview to claim break from Biden
- Water crisis threatening world food production: report
- Mexico's ex-security chief sentenced to over 38 years in US prison
- One Direction's Liam Payne falls to death at Argentina hotel
- Climate change worsened deadly Nepal floods, scientists say
- Alcaraz will face 'difficult' clash with 'idol' Nadal
- US says India has removed alleged agent in assassination plot
- Barca hit nine in Women's Champions League, Bayern overcome Juve
- Harris courts Trump-skeptic Republicans with Fox interview
- Global stock markets diverge as investors focus on earnings
- Worms and snails handle the pressure 2,500m below the Pacific surface
- Serena Williams has grapefruit-sized cyst removed from neck
- Lavreysen wins record-equalling 14th world cycling track title
- School's out! Argentina students study in the street to protest budget cuts
- Lower rates, surging stock market fail to ignite US IPO market
- Pogba 'willing to give up money' to stay at Juve
- Few countries have drawn up nature protection plans: UN
- Biden to make farewell trip to Germany as Ukraine war rages
- EU announces 30 mn euros to stem Senegal irregular migration
- Italy extends surrogacy ban to couples seeking it abroad
- Panama Canal crossings down 29 percent due to drought
- 'Clear indications' India violated Canada's sovereignty: Trudeau
- World champion Springboks to host Italy in 2025, Moerat to miss November tour
- Trump claims to be 'father of IVF' at all-female campaign stop
- WHO demands space to finish Gaza polio vaccination
- Mitchell left out of England squad for Autumn internationals
- Real Madrid back Mbappe amid Swedish rape investigation reports
- Middle East crisis top-of-mind at first EU-Gulf summit
- Israeli minister criticises Macron over France defence show ban
- Global stock markets diverge as markets focus on earmings
- Who said what on Tuchel's appointment as England manager
'Great feeling' as Nadal makes first final in two years at Bastad
Rafael Nadal reached his first final on Saturday since winning the 2022 French Open, defeating Croatian qualifier Duje Ajdukovic in a three-set tussle in Bastad ahead of the Paris Olympics.
A day after his four-hour quarter-final victory, the 22-time Grand Slam champion was again tested by Ajdukovic, the world number 130 who had won just two tour-level matches before this week.
The Spaniard rebounded from dropping the opening set to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, returning to the final of a tournament he won as a teenager on his last appearance in 2005.
"It was a very tough match. It was very difficult honestly, but I found a way to survive and be through to the final after a long time without being in a final, so that's great news and I'm very happy with that," said Nadal.
The 38-year-old will play Portuguese seventh seed Nuno Borges or Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante on Sunday as he goes in search of the 93rd singles title of his career.
His most recent triumph came two years ago at Roland Garros, when he won the tournament for a record-extending 14th time.
"It's always a great feeling to be back in the final. I won four matches in a row, something I wasn't able to make happen since two years ago," said Nadal, whose ranking has tumbled to 261 after a string of injuries.
"A lot of things happened... I'm still in this process of recovering a lot of things I lost because I had a very important hip surgery almost one year ago, so things are not going that easy.
"But I'm fighting. I've fought during the whole tournament to be where I am today. Matches like yesterday and today help to improve a lot of things on court, so I'm happy with that. Let's see if I'm able to play a little bit better tomorrow."
Nadal struggled early against the 23-year-old Ajdukovic as he fell 3-0 and a double break down in the opening set, but he fought his way back with two breaks in the second after another poor start.
The former world number one appeared in complete control in the third set when he surged 3-0 ahead only to lose his serve twice in succession, suffering a repeat of the stumble that nearly cost him on Friday.
He broke again in the seventh game and then resisted two more break points in the next, eventually securing victory with a comfortable hold two games later.
Nadal is using the event in Bastad as a tune-up for the Olympic Games, where the tennis will be played on the clay at Roland Garros. He won gold in the singles in Beijing in 2008 and gold in the doubles at Rio 2016.
He only returned to action this week for the first time since losing in the first round of the French Open in late May.
Nadal was also due to play in the doubles later on Saturday alongside Casper Ruud but announced he was pulling out as a precaution after spending six hours on court over his past two singles matches.
P.Santos--AMWN