Tennis-Nadal reaches first final since 2022 in Bastad ahead of Olympics

(Reuters) - Rafael Nadal reached his first final in two years on Saturday, beating qualifier Duje Ajdukovic 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the semi-finals of the Swedish Open in Bastad as the 22-time grand slam winner continues his preparations for the Paris Olympics.

The 38-year-old Spaniard, who was sidelined with a hip injury that required surgery last year, had taken four hours to beat Mariano Navone 6-7(2) 7-5 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the clay-court event on Friday.

"I fought the whole tournament to be where I am today. Matches like yesterday and today help to improve a lot of things on court," said Nadal, whose last final was at the French Open in 2022.

"It’s always a great feeling to be in a final. I won four matches in a row. I wasn’t able to make that happen since two years ago. A lot of things happened. That’s the truth."

Nadal, who has won one Olympic gold in men's singles and one in doubles, will compete in singles in Paris as well as in doubles with French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.

"(I am) 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 aren’t going that easy. But I’m fighting... let’s see if I’m able to play a little better tomorrow."

Nadal will face either seventh seed Nuno Borges of Portugal or Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante in Sunday's final.

The Paris Games open on Friday, with the tennis tournaments starting the next day.

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)