Thiago Wild, currently ranked 69th in the world, delivered a strong performance at the ATP Winston-Salem Open by defeating the world No. 35, Nuno Borges, in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2. This impressive victory sends Wild into the round of 16, where he will face the winner of the match between qualifier Learner Tien and ninth seed Fabian Marozsan.
The match began with Wild struggling to find his rhythm. He dropped his serve in the opening game, allowing Borges to jump to a 3-1 lead. However, Wild showed resilience, responding by winning three consecutive games to take control of the first set. With no further breakpoints, the set headed to a tiebreaker. In the tiebreak, Wild’s confidence soared, and he won all his service points while capitalizing on two mini-breaks, closing out the tiebreak 7-2.
Entering the second set with momentum on his side, Wild quickly established a commanding 4-0 lead, dominating the early exchanges by winning 16 of the first 21 points. Borges attempted to mount a comeback, holding serve for the first time in the set and then breaking Wild’s serve to narrow the gap. However, the Brazilian remained composed, breaking Borges once more and serving for the match at 5-2. Despite facing a break point, Wild kept his focus and secured the win on his first match point, closing out the contest in convincing fashion.
This victory marks Wild’s sixth triumph over a top 50 player this season, further solidifying his reputation as a rising talent on the ATP Tour. It also marks the second time in 2023 that he has defeated Portugal’s highest-ranked player, Nuno Borges. Wild’s journey in the Winston-Salem Open continues to gain momentum, as he looks to build on this success and make a deep run in the tournament. His ability to overcome early setbacks and maintain composure under pressure will be key as he advances to the next round.
