Portugal is celebrated for many things: the lilting, melancholy melodies of fado; its ancient port and madeira wines; and colorful glazed ceramic decorative tiles called azulejos. This tiny nation at the edge of Western Europe once ruled over a far-reaching, seafaring empire, but tennis has never been among its principal exports.
Nuno Borges, a 27-year-old from Maia, a town of 40,000 just north of Porto, is only the second Portuguese player to reach the Round of 16 at the year’s final major in New York. Portugal pales in comparison to the tennis success of its Iberian neighbor, Spain, which has produced a litany of legendary names, including Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Manolo Santana.
So it’s a big deal that Borges advanced to his first fourth round at the US Open on Saturday night, in an utterly thrilling five-set win over the talented Czech teen Jakub Mensik. It’s not just that Borges won, but how he did it. After squandering two break points that would have given him the fourth set and evened the match, he then let go of a 5-3 lead on his own serve by committing three double faults.
Borges stemmed the tide and limped into the tiebreak. There he quickly went down 3-6. The Portuguese didn’t give up, though. He saved three consecutive match points in the tiebreak, including two on Mensik’s big serve. Borges then rattled off five straight points to force a deciding fifth set.
The man from Maia blanked a dispirited Mensik in the final set, finishing the match in just under four hours.
After embracing Mensik at the net, Borges was emotional, wiping away tears in front of a boisterous and hugely supportive crowd on Court 17, filled to capacity under the lights.
“I just let everything go. I tried to enjoy the atmosphere, which was amazing. So many people, cheering from everywhere,” reflected Borges. “I competed and stayed positive throughout. Then I gave myself a shot when I thought I didn’t have one.”
“I competed and stayed positive throughout. Then I gave myself a shot when I thought I didn’t have one.”
After the match Borges said, “I deserved that fourth set, in my head. I told myself, I didn’t do all that I could, I’m down 6-3; it is what it is. Make him win this. I'm not going to give it to him. All of a sudden it’s 6-all and I’m starting to believe again.”
Asked if the atmosphere was the greatest he had ever experienced on a tennis court, Borges said, “I can’t think of any better ones. It was pretty special. If not the best, then top three for sure.”
With his dramatic win, Borges–who is up to a career-high ranking of 34–became the first Portuguese player to reach the second week of a slam twice in one year, as well as the first to reach the last 16 in both singles and doubles at the same major. He is just the second player, male or female, from Portugal to reach the Round of 16 at the US Open.
Earlier this summer, Borges won his first ATP Tour title at Bastad, triumphing over none other than Nadal in an ATP Tour clay-court final. How rare is such a thing? Only four other men have accomplished that, and three of them were named Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
Prior to that win, Borges’s biggest triumph was when he beat No. 13 Grigor Dimitrov to reach his first major fourth round at the 2024 Australian Open.
“The Australian Open was a key moment for me, showing me how much I can do and that I can compete at that level, best of five sets,” said Borges. “I think that opened his eyes a little bit. I was still the same guy, just maybe believing in myself more.”
"Generally when the challenge is higher, I try to put myself higher, too.”
As for beating Nadal, Borges is measured. “It’s such a big accomplishment, but for me as a player, I can’t stop there. You have to move on. Obviously the achievement will stay with me; no one will take that title away.”
Borges, who speaks perfect, nuanced English, played college tennis at Mississippi State University for four years (2015-19), graduating with a degree in kinesiology. There he was a five-time All-American and the 2019 NCAA singles runner-up. Borges’s senior-year, 31-match win streak ended with that final match.
The Portuguese player’s idol growing up was Federer. "Roger has been my one and only since the early days. Just learning how to be a professional, competing and playing matches, you really value what he does on court," he said. "How you stay calm and positive during crazy points.”
It’s obvious that Borges has taken that attitude to heart. On court he is calm and even-keeled. He walks serenely about the court, no matter the score.
At 6-foot-1 he is rather slight and sinewy, and he is not a massive hitter. But he can seize an opportunity, wind up, and smack a whipped topspin forehand winner. He mixes up rallies nicely with a variety of spins and angles, rarely allowing a big hitter to get in a groove. His game is crafty.
In the Round of 16 on Monday, Borges faces Daniil Medvedev–someone who knows a little bit about mixing spins and speeds. Borges has lost twice to the fifth seed and former major winner, but he managed to snatch a set off the former US Open champion at the Australian Open.
Looking forward to his fourth-round rematch with Medvedev, Borges said: “He’s a very tricky player. He makes you overplay a lot but then he comes up with very big serves and kind of random patterns sometimes. It’s hard to read, but also very tactical, very smart.”He added, “I will try to have less ups and downs and stay more focused. Generally when the challenge is higher, I try to put myself higher, too.”
He added, “I will try to have less ups and downs and stay more focused. Generally when the challenge is higher, I try to put myself higher, too.”
A quote in Borges’s bio on the ATP website might apply to big his win on Saturday or, just maybe, his upcoming battle with Medvedev. "Sometimes you can feel great in a match, the conditions are great and everything is aligned for you to win, but somehow you don't. And when you least expect it, you're able to do it."
“It sounds better in Portuguese,” Borges said. “Não é quando queres, é quando consegues.”
