Nuno Borges is back at Roland-Garros in 2026 and arrives in Paris saying he feels physically strong and ready for a good match. The 50th-ranked player in the ATP rankings faces Argentine Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the first round, a test Borges expects to be demanding from the first point.
“Sinto-me bem. Sinto que estou a jogar muito bem,” Borges said, adding that his body has stayed healthy and that has helped him keep his form. He also said he feels “cada vez mais preparado” to compete at the highest level and to deal with decisive moments in big tournaments, even if his results this season have not been as strong as he would like.
Borges said the numbers do not tell the whole story. “Se calhar estão um bocadinho aquém daquilo que eu sinceramente gostava, obviamente, mas não tem sido assim tão mau,” he said, pointing to the quality of the draws he has faced. “Os jogos são sempre complicados. Se calhar não tenho tido os quadros mais fáceis.”
That matters in Paris because Borges is not arriving as an outsider with nothing to lose. He returns as Portugal’s number one player, carrying a ranking that places him among the top 50 in the world and a sense that his level is rising at the right time. He said the main task now is to turn that progress into results when the pressure tightens.
“Se continuar a manter o meu nível e jogar assim, as oportunidades hão-de aparecer,” Borges said. “Na altura estava a jogar menos do que agora. Sinto-me cada vez mais preparado para chegar mais longe e conseguir manter o meu nível mais alto.” He added: “Agora é saber concretizar nos momentos decisivos dos jogos.”
The opening round is no soft landing. Etcheverry is ranked 25th in the world, and Borges beat him earlier this season at the ATP 500 in Barcelona. Borges said the rematch will be hard work over best-of-five sets and expects the Argentine to arrive with extra motivation after that loss.
“Vai ser um jogo duro. Os meus outros jogos com ele este ano também foram duros. À melhor de cinco sets vai ser mais ainda,” Borges said. “Acho que ele vai ter umas ganas extras por causa do desfecho do outro jogo. Eu sei que ele não gostou.”
He described Etcheverry as a player who wins by being steady rather than flashy. “É um jogador que singra por ser muito regular e muito constante,” Borges said. “Não faz pancadas muito rebuscadas, não inventa muito, mas está sempre lá.” He also called him physically strong, solid on both sides and a good server, adding: “É um jogador completo e os resultados dele mostram isso.”
Borges said he will not change his approach for the matchup in Paris. “Vou fazer a minha cena como normalmente faço e tentar conseguir uma vitória,” he said. For a player who believes his level is improving, the first round offers a direct chance to turn that belief into a result against an opponent who knows exactly what happened the last time they met.
