Dimitrov beats Svrcina at Bastad 2025, joins Nadal as oldest winners
Synopsis
Competing at Båstad for the first time in over a decade, a 35-year-old Grigor Dimitrov battled back from deficits in both the first and third sets to beat Dalibor Svrcina in 2 hours 24 minutes — placing him alongside Rafael Nadal as one of the oldest match winners at the tournament this decade. His reward: a second-round date with defending champion Nuno Borges.
Key Takeaways
Grigor Dimitrov defeated Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-4 at the Nordea Open in Båstad on 14 July .
At 35 , Dimitrov is the second-oldest match winner at Båstad this decade, behind only Rafael Nadal (then 38) who reached the 2024 final.
Dimitrov is competing at Båstad for the first time since 2013 , having previously reached the semifinals in 2012 and 2013 .
He next faces fifth seed and defending champion Nuno Borges in the second round.
Andrea Pellegrino (ATP No.
138) recorded his first tour-level win since May , defeating Nicolai Budov Kjaer to set up a clash with top seed Andrey Rublev .
Grigor Dimitrov turned back the clock on Tuesday, 14 July at the Nordea Open in Båstad, Sweden, rallying past Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the ATP 250 clay-court event. The win makes the 35-year-old Bulgarian the second-oldest match winner at Båstad this decade, behind only the then-38-year-old Rafael Nadal, who reached the final there in 2024.
A Hard-Fought Comeback
Dimitrov's path to victory was anything but smooth. He clawed back from 3-5 down in the opening set before sealing it in a tiebreak, then dropped the second set comprehensively. In the decider, he squandered a break advantage before eventually closing out the match in 2 hours and 24 minutes. It was the kind of gritty performance that underscored both his experience and his recent resurgence in form.
'It is extremely different conditions from where I have come from, and I am at an age where I think I need some extra days, but I think today it was all about fighting,' Dimitrov said after the match. 'I didn't feel like I was on top of my game, but he was a hell of a competitor, so fast around the court and did so many drop shots. He really went for his shots, so I had to really count on my experience and really press when I really had to.'
Context and Significance
Dimitrov is competing at Båstad for the first time since 2013, a tournament where he reached the semifinals in both 2012 and 2013, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index. He arrives in Sweden on the back of a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this month, making his quick adjustment to clay all the more noteworthy. This is the third major clay-court run of his career at this venue, separated by over a decade.
Notably, the Nadal comparison carries weight — the Spaniard's 2024 Båstad final appearance at 38 was widely seen as a valedictory moment for clay-court tennis. Dimitrov, at 35, is now writing his own late-career chapter on the same surface.
What's Next for Dimitrov
In the second round, Dimitrov will face fifth seed and defending 2024 champion Nuno Borges, who dispatched French wild card Moise Kouame 6-4, 6-2. The match-up pits experience against the form of the reigning title-holder, making it one of the more compelling second-round contests of the tournament.
Other First-Round Results
Elsewhere in the draw, Andrea Pellegrino, ranked No. 138 in the ATP Rankings, defeated Norwegian NextGen player Nicolai Budov Kjaer 6-3, 6-2 to record his first tour-level win since beating Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome in May. Pellegrino next faces top seed Andrey Rublev. Seeds Botic van de Zandschulp (sixth) and Thiago Agustin Tirante also advanced — Van de Zandschulp eliminated Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 7-6(0), 6-4, while Tirante beat Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 6-4.
With the draw now taking shape, the Nordea Open's second round promises several intriguing contests as seeded players and veterans alike seek to establish themselves on the Båstad clay.
Point of View
Three years younger, appears to be in a genuine second wind. His Wimbledon fourth-round run followed by a clay-court win in the same fortnight suggests physical adaptability that few players manage at 35. The real test comes against Borges, a player in his prime who owns this title. If Dimitrov wins that match, the narrative shifts from nostalgia to genuine contention.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did Grigor Dimitrov beat at the Nordea Open Båstad 2025?
Grigor Dimitrov defeated Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-4 in the first round of the Nordea Open in Båstad on 14 July. The match lasted 2 hours and 24 minutes.
Why is Dimitrov's win at Båstad historically notable?
At 35, Dimitrov becomes the second-oldest match winner at Båstad this decade, behind only Rafael Nadal, who was 38 when he reached the 2024 final at the same tournament. It is also Dimitrov's first appearance at Båstad since 2013.
Who does Dimitrov face in the second round at Båstad?
Dimitrov will next play fifth seed and defending 2024 champion Nuno Borges, who beat French wild card Moise Kouame 6-4, 6-2 in his opening match.
What other results came out of the Nordea Open first round?
Andrea Pellegrino (ATP No. 138) beat Nicolai Budov Kjaer 6-3, 6-2 for his first tour win since May. Seeds Botic van de Zandschulp and Thiago Agustin Tirante also advanced, defeating Taro Daniel and Sebastian Ofner respectively.
How has Dimitrov been performing ahead of Båstad 2025?
Dimitrov reached the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier in July before heading to Båstad. He had previously reached the semifinals at the tournament in both 2012 and 2013, making his 2025 return a reunion with one of his early career clay-court hunting grounds.
