Leo Borg, son of tennis legend Bjorn Borg, shared his excitement after meeting his idol, Rafael Nadal. The 21-year-old, ranked World No. 590, had the chance to play against Nadal three months ago at the Bastad Open, where he received a wildcard. Before Nadal’s dominance, Bjorn Borg held the record for the most French Open titles with six, a record many believed would stand the test of time. However, Nadal surpassed that milestone with an incredible 14 French Open titles, cementing his status as the “King of Clay.”
Despite Nadal breaking his father’s record, Leo Borg has long admired the Spaniard, revealing that Nadal inspired him to start playing tennis. Borg expressed, “He has always been my biggest idol. He is probably the reason why I started playing tennis. He holds a special place in my heart.” Borg also shared that meeting Nadal before his retirement was one of his biggest dreams and something he will cherish forever.
In their first-round match at the Bastad Open, Nadal secured a 6-3, 6-4 win, as he prepared for the Olympic Games. Reflecting on the match, Nadal said, “It’s been a huge honor to play against the son of one of the greatest legends of our sport. I think he played well and has a bright future ahead of him.”
Nadal had a strong run at the tournament, reaching the final, though he was unable to clinch the title, losing to Nuno Borges in the championship match.