Nadal & Ruud save MP, reach Bastad SFs with classy doubles win

Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud are giving the fans what they want at the Nordea Open, and the show will go on in Bastad after the popular doubles team escaped a dramatic quarter-final match on Wednesday.

The Spanish-Norwegian duo pulled out a 6-4, 3-6, 12-10 victory against Theo Arribage and Roman Safiullin, saving a match point at 9/10 in the Match Tie-break before winning three straight points to close out the result. A backhand volley winner from Nadal put an exclamation point on a quality final exchange that was emblematic of the level of the match as a whole.

"I think we had some fun," Nadal said. "It has been an emotional match at the end, a good level of tennis against two good players. We enjoy it and the crowd was amazing, a full crowd in a doubles match, that's fantastic. Just enjoying every single day here."

The pair dominated on second serve in the victory, winning 63 per cent (12/19) of those points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Both teams broke serve twice.

"When you cannot win singles you have to try to win doubles," joked Ruud, who lost his opening singles match 6-3, 6-3 to Thiago Monteiro earlier on Wednesday. "It was not the best beginning of the day but a very nice way to finish the day for me.

"Winning alongside Rafa was a special doubles today. We saved a match point so a bit lucky, and we look forward to the next match."

After beating second seeds Guido Andreozzi and Miguel Reyes-Varela 6-1, 6-4 in the first round, "Ruudal" could face third-seeded Brazilians Orland Luz and Rafael Matos in the semis.

Asked about that team nickname, Nadal approved: "I have Fedal, and now Ruudal... so both!" he said with a laugh. Nadal will also join forces with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics later this month.