Bastad 2024: Rafael Nadal/Casper Ruud vs Roman Safiullin/Theo Arribage preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Nordea Open
Match Details
Fixture: Rafael Nadal/Casper Ruud vs Roman Safiullin/Theo Arribage
Date: July 17, 2024
Tournament: Nordea Open
Round: Quarter-Final
Venue: Bastad, Sweden
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Clay
Prize money: €579,320
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | India - Discovery.
Rafael Nadal/Casper Ruud vs Roman Safiullin/Theo Arribage preview
The distinguished pair of Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud will take on Roman Safiullin and Theo Arribage in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Nordea Open. Nadal and Ruud are not a set doubles team. This is the first time they are playing together.
Nadal has a career record of 139-76 in doubles with 11 titles. However, before the Nordea Open, the Spaniard had played only one doubles match in 2024. He partnered with Marc Lopez and lost in the first round of the Brisbane International against Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.
Casper Ruud, too, has not achieved the success of his singles play in doubles events. He has a record of 23-33 in doubles. In 2024, Ruud partnered with William Blumberg and played at a handful of tournaments. The pair reached the semi-finals of the Los Cabos Open, losing to Purcell and Thompson.
At the Nordea Open, Nadal and Ruud had a comprehensive victory over the second-seeded pair of Guido Anreozzi and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela. The Spanish-Norwegian team won 6-1, 6-4.
Roman Safiullin and Theo Arribage have also teamed up for the first time in 2024. Both players have played with multiple partners in doubles this season, but have not had any success. They defeated Mariano Navonne and Cameron Norrie in the first round of the Nordea Open.
Rafael Nadal/Casper Ruud vs Roman Safiullin/Theo Arribage head-to-head
This is the first time the two pairs will face off against each other on the ATP Tour.
Rafael Nadal/Casper Ruud vs Roman Safiullin/Theo Arribage odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Rafael Nadal/Casper Ruud vs Roman Safiullin/Theo Arribage prediction
Both Ruud and Nadal are distinguished players on clay. The former is a top 10 player with multiple singles titles on the surface, and the latter is one of the greatest players ever to play the sport, especially on the red dirt. Even as a team that is not accustomed to playing together in doubles, they took out the second seeds easily.
Arribage and Saifullin have played the entire year in makeshift teams and have not managed to make a deep run at any of the doubles events.
With their experience, Nadal and Ruud are the firm favorites for the match.
Pick: Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud to win in straight sets