Rublev faces Darderi in Nordea Open final

The top two seeds will meet in the men's singles final of the Nordea Open in Båstad, Sweden, on Sunday, July 19, 2026, as world No. 16 Andrey Rublev faces defending champion Luciano Darderi. Both players advanced to the championship match after hard-fought three-set victories in their semifinal matches on Saturday, July 18.

Rublev, the tournament's No. 1 seed and the 2023 champion, defeated third-seeded Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The Russian, competing in his 30th tour-level final, won 77.6 percent of his first-serve points and hit 12 aces in the match. Darderi, the second seed from Italy, prevailed in a marathon contest against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, 6-4, 6-7 (11-13), 6-3, in a battle lasting two hours and 57 minutes. Darderi saved seven of eight break points and converted three of his five break opportunities.

Following his semifinal win, Rublev expressed satisfaction with returning to the final in Båstad, stating he felt great and grateful for the opportunity. He acknowledged Darderi as a great player who is improving, anticipating a difficult match.

Rublev holds a 1-0 advantage in the pair's head-to-head series, having defeated Darderi in three sets on clay in Hamburg...