The first major upset of the Båstad tournament came from Filip Misolic, who staged an incredible comeback to knock out defending champion Nuno Borges in a thrilling match on Centre Court. The Austrian, who entered the main draw through the qualifiers, defeated the 2024 champion in three sets (3-6, 7-6[1], 6-3) and continues his fearless run at the Nordea Open.
Borges, who famously defeated Rafa Nadal in last year’s final, got off to a perfect start with two love games, winning 77% of first-serve points and 88% of second-serve points in the opening set. A forehand winner down the line gave him a crucial break to go up 3-2, and the World No. 35 closed out the set with another break to take it 6-3, looking well on his way to an easy afternoon—especially after Misolic took a medical timeout for a foot issue before the second set began.
The second set also started in Borges’ favor, as he quickly broke Misolic’s serve to lead 2-0. The Austrian appeared unable to defend, barely chasing down balls and producing poorly executed shots, seemingly resigned to a swift defeat. But with three consecutive love service games, Misolic showed signs of life and narrowed the gap to 5-3. At that point, he put pressure on the 28-year-old Portuguese, who failed to serve out the match, showing instability with numerous second serves and unforced errors, ultimately losing three match points. That allowed Misolic—currently ranked No. 105 in the world (career high)—to break back for 5-4.
A fourth straight love service game brought the match level for the first time, and the tightly contested second set went into a tiebreak. There, the 23-year-old Austrian capitalized on the momentum and Borges’ crumbling defense to dominate 7-1, claiming the set.
Riding a wave of confidence, Misolic came out strong in the deciding set, looking steady and seemingly recovered from his earlier injury. He chased down every ball and produced excellent defense that frustrated Borges. At 4-3, the Portuguese player was broken again—this time at a critical moment—giving Misolic a 5-3 lead. The Austrian remained unstoppable, finishing the match with an impressive 35 winners (compared to Borges’ 22). Serving with supreme confidence, he placed the ball into unreachable corners, sealing the third set 6-3 and earning one of the biggest victories of his career—one that now sends him into the ATP Top 100 for the first time.
Filip Misolic, who becomes with Horst Skoff the only Austrians with multiple quarterfinal appearances in Båstad, will face another big challenge as he takes on Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli (No. 5 seed) for a spot in the semifinals of the Nordea Open.
Båstad, Achilleas Tsakalidis
