History maker Nuno Borges ready for the big time

The way to the world’s top 50 can pass through different routes. For Portugal’s Nuno Borges, it went from Porto to Mississippi, and then on to Melbourne where he announced his presence to the tennis world in early 2024.

Having honed his tennis skills in the American university environment, the 27-year-old from Maia, just outside Portugal’s second city Porto, broke through when he became the first Portuguese player to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open. He cracked the top 50 of the men’s ATP Tour soon after.

“It’s been way beyond my expectations as a kid, starting to play,” Borges said about his run in Melbourne. “I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished and this keeps me motivated to go after even more. I can say I never dreamt of something this big, it feels surreal and I’m just super happy about it.”

His victories in Melbourne included a tough four-set match against the former world number three Grigor Dimitrov in the third round. “It definitely gives me confidence to win matches on the biggest stages,” Borges said, “helped me believe in myself against tough opponents.”

The son of a former Portuguese national champion in men’s volleyball, Borges first picked up a racket when he was six years old at a club near his home town of Maia. As a kid he idolised Roger Federer, but while the Swiss went straight from the junior circuit to the full tour, Borges took a different route that suited him better.

He decided to pursue US collegiate tennis when he found himself at a crossroads in his late teens. “I felt like I wasn’t ready for the tour when I was 18,” he says. “It was tough for me then to play my first Futures tournaments. I thought it would be smart to be in a team to help me push and keep developing. The truth is I liked the coaches and believed in their programme. It ended up being a great experience.”

Borges’ star shone brightly during a four-year stint at Mississippi State University, where he not only earned a degree in kinesiology but also reached the 2019 NCAA singles final.

His experience in the US played a key role in his success on the men’s tour, according to his Portuguese coach, Rui Machado.

“He was just a young guy playing good tennis,” Machado told the ATP, “but when I saw him after college, I started to watch him playing tournaments and competing. When he started to play professionally, I realised he’s a special guy. He is the type who wants to win everything. No matter how, he wants to win.”

Having finished his degree in the US in 2019, Borges turned professional a year later, just when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. He was then further delayed by injuries to his left wrist and both ankles. Bad luck struck again in 2022, when Borges tested positive for Covid-19 when he was about to make his Grand Slam qualifying debut in singles at the Australian Open, which forced him to withdraw.

How does Borges explain his recent rise up the rankings? “I believe that nothing has really changed,” he said. “Staying consistent and trusting the process has been key for me in the last couple of years.”

He is equally understated about his long-term career goals. “I've been keeping more short-term goals than long-term. After Australia I made it to the top 50. Then I made my first quarter-finals in an ATP event. Maybe now it’s time to go for semi-finals. My main goal in 2024 is to play the Olympics and to keep playing the best tournaments against the best players. I’ll keep working for a little more every day.”

Nuno Borges endorses the HEAD Radical range of racquets.

WORDS BY DANIELLE ROSSINGH