Nuno Borges: Portuguese Professional, ATP #49 [Arizona Tennis Classic | RD16 Preview Interview]

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Welcome back crack fans to another edition of the Cracked Interviews podcast.

I'm your host Alex Grusken.

We are once again live on site at another event this week.

It's the 2026 Arizona tennis classic.

Maybe the premier ETP 175K event we have on the calendar,

as of course, this event splits the middle of our sunshine,

swing, all those players who lost early at Indian Wells,

but are looking for a little more match toughness before the start of Miami.

Well, just about all of them are here competing in Phoenix this week.

And thus, it's just awesome to have a front row seat to the action once again.

Of course, in my capacity as MC, I get the opportunity to interact with so many

of these athletes competing here this week.

I have the opportunity to set up subsequent interviews with them.

Those interviews are what we want to share on the Cracked Interviews podcast here this week.

It's what we call another de facto press row segment where I will try my best to sit down

with as many of our players in the main draw of both singles in doubles here this week

in Phoenix and get the scoop what's going down in their respective careers.

What do they hope to accomplish here in this 2026 season?

Again, I'm going to try my best to speak with every player still around here.

In the draw, we're going to try our best to post all those conversations as videos available

to be watched over on the Cracked Rackets YouTube channel.

So if you prefer watching to listening to these videos, make sure you go check out that

platform.

Of course, we will try our best to get these interviews out to you as quickly as possible

here on this Cracked Interviews podcast feed as well.

So again, another week of press row content here on this Cracked Interviews podcast.

Our experience live at the 2026 Arizona Tennis Classic.

And joining us now at the Arizona Tennis Classic for our annual interview, of course, it's

the man who has won more matches at this event than any player in the event's history.

He, of course, is also the current world number 49 in all American and NCA singles finalists.

It's our friend, Noon of Orges, the last man, by the way, to beat Rafa in a final should

have saved the best for us.

Big intras always.

I mean, I got to make sure the people know who we're dealing with here, but it's great

to see you, my friend, obviously seated.

Once again, here this year, a little first round by what does it mean to you to be back

in Phoenix?

And when you win, have the success that you have here, like, does an event actually hold

extra importance for you?

Yes, yes, certainly.

Again, this tournament is always that feeling of, okay, I didn't do great at Indian Wells.

So I get to come here.

So it's always like, oh, I don't want to come here.

But then when I do decide to come, I always get excited, especially after all the memories

I've been through here and all the great times, obviously, makes a big difference, gives

it a huge importance to me.

So my tennis is one of the best moments of my career, for sure.

So it definitely has a special place in my heart, this country club.

No, and certainly the people here in Phoenix, they're excited to have you back.

It is fun to see their reception to each time.

And you know, you mentioned it.

This is the in between week, right between Indian Wells Miami.

If you're playing here, it means you're not still in that Indian Wells event.

And yet, I am curious.

If you look at this point of the season, third round for you at Australia, open again, congratulations, my friend.

But I know it wasn't the February you wanted.

I'm curious how you would evaluate your start to 2026.

It was a great start.

I thought I got some really good wins, really solid wins.

I was winning matches on every tournament I was playing.

And I guess I couldn't keep that up after I had a really tough one.

And they've just kept all the traveling was really tough on my body and mind.

And then I did not play great in China.

And I think it still affected me a little bit, especially the week after I was still battling my demons about all that and just try to get that confidence back.

Obviously, it's not easy.

These guys are out there to get me every time.

So yeah, the challenge is always there.

But every time I come here, I feel like I'm in a different place somehow, even though the schedule sometimes seems very similar.

But the feeling of coming here and how you're feeling, the draw is always very, very competitive, like I said before in a different interview.

So you got to be really ready for every match to be a battle and just compete really well.

No, and again, obviously this is a place where you have been able to do exactly that.

I am curious now because it's been half a decade for you on the ATP tour.

Is it easier?

Like does this job ever get easier?

No professional tennis, but you're always trying to improve.

But does it ever get easier for you?

Do you ever get more comfortable?

No, because I feel like there's always a step forward tennis is kind of I'm forgiving and very unfair in that aspect.

Like even though you're better, the players you're going to play against are also better.

And so the challenge is just going to keep rising with you and you're always going to feel that struggle.

You're never comfortable.

Maybe number one, number two in the world right now, they're whatever we can just play these events.

I'm sure we're going to win half of them between us and maybe they're comfortable.

I have no idea.

So I think anybody until there, for sure, they're always struggling.

They're always ups and downs in the season, always battling to get this two point edge on your opponent sometimes and get that win.

Maybe not even sometimes you lose more points and somehow somehow still get the win.

So tennis can be very brutal with that.

And again, as you go up, the challenges keep going up and the matches not only don't get easier, they get more difficult and more demanding, more intense.

So it is very tough.

I do like to your point, when you're Carlos Alcarez and you've made the final of 12 of your last 13 events, it's like, you know what?

Maybe he's not feeling stressed, but there's a few rounds where he's actually comfortable and just doing his thing, not actually having to pull any strings.

Yeah, but he's the only one who gets that sort of luxury and I mean, I will say for you and we've been doing this for almost a decade now, so I think I can be blunt.

You've gotten really good at first round slam matches.

Like I know that's a really specific thing, but I feel like every time I'm watching you at a major, whether it's round one, round two, you are finding more success in those parts of the draw to what would you credit that?

I don't know about the first rounds, but the thing is about the first rounds that I'm fresh physically, at least.

I don't think that's why I win more of them.

I think it's just the best of five gives me a little edge, just because I sometimes take time to find the patterns and really break the opponent down.

The best of three can feel like it goes by so quick, couple breaks and you're done.

The fact that the best of five feels like it's a really long match and you got to do so much, you really got to earn it.

Sometimes I can feel it in my opponent a little more that he gives me something, something to feel confident about, like a little breather, something I can believe in.

I think that's a little bit of it.

I found my love for the best of five as I started playing, at first it was really tough to start a match thinking, oh my god, I got to win three sets.

It's really a lot, so just start thinking one set at a time.

Stay in that moment, but at the same time try to get all the fuel because I'm sure my opponent is struggling too.

The best three can feel like it goes so quick, so again, I feel like I've used that well in my favor.

No, I certainly would agree with that.

What do you think is the thing?

What do you do best in your game? What is the thing you have the most confident?

I'm curious now because it's me too.

Maybe third person watching from the stands can get a better opinion.

I certainly don't feel special and less and less to be honest when I was playing some challengers.

I was feeling great, I feel like if I was doing, I was my rhythm, I had my place.

These guys really make me feel uncomfortable all the time, so it's really hard.

With one guy, this thing is working, but then he might adapt because they're good.

There's less holes, there's less things you can hold onto to really get that match.

That one served, okay, on 30 all, I'm going to use it.

If you don't hit it, then you're screwed.

The margins are very, very thin.

I don't know, with some guys, I feel like my service is great, and then with others, I don't feel like that.

My game is what it is, and I think it depends so much on my opponent.

It feels so much out of my control too.

One day, I could be feeling my back in line, and then the other, okay, I feel the back and cross.

I'm catching these forehands late this week, next week, okay, I can't find it now, I've got to go the other way.

That's why tennis is so complicated, it's so tough, but it's also so interesting, and I think it's a really cool sport because of that too.

It's chess with acting pieces.

Maybe more external factors that come into play that make the game every time different.

You play the same opponent, it really goes the same way twice, even the result.

The same guy, my win, but the way it was played, it was not the same.

It's interesting, there was a different podcast after which one, I don't want to steal anyone's take, so I don't listen to any of them.

Which I only bring up to say, I saw the social media clip of they were talking, someone was talking about best serves and just best serves.

I was like, to not mention Nuno's kick, I was like, I've already thrown out the list.

It's a college thing, it's clearly a college thing.

It's not as good on the pros.

It's not a good thing.

I don't know anymore.

You and Yana Confman are two of my favorite kicks, and I'm just like, those will always work.

I don't care what level we're talking about.

We're talking about college kicks.

You know what's funny is, I was talking to our onsite producer, our intern James, and I was like, I wanted him to be here for this interview,

because I'm going to start talking college and I want you to reign me in.

Because now Nuno is a professional.

Let me ask you this.

If your college self could see you compete in 2026, what do you think he'd be most impressed about?

Probably by the intensity of my game, the way I'm moving.

I don't think I'd be impressed with all my shots.

I think I would feel more complete, or at least I'd like to think that.

I've been working a lot to try to do more things better.

But yeah, I would also see the struggle, like how fast the ball is coming to you, to me.

And how challenging it can be, which is hard to see from a day-to-day basis, but looking back a few years, it's easier to see, and I think I would be able to see that.

To be honest, I should think about that more often, and I appreciate the way I've been bringing.

And be more positive about that, and be stuck in my struggles in the moment.

This is why we do this once a year. I'm here to remind you, like, dude, you're really good.

I just want you to know, you have a massive fan in me always.

You need that hype, man. You've got the digits.

Yeah, I guess, again, my last few questions I don't want to take up too much of your time.

You talk about all the different players you've got to play, the pressure that they have put on you.

Obviously, in the past, I've talked about the rough of final.

People can go listen to that conversation, and I want to ask you about it again.

I'm sure too many people do.

You got to play Jokovic in the Athens quarters, though.

I have not had the chance to ask you about that.

What was that experience like? What did you learn from that match?

Well, he really is special.

It was not like he completely obliterated me off the court.

He was not destroying the ball or feeling like, really, I can't do anything.

But the way he made you play every point is what makes him special, I thought.

His first serve is serve in general. I think it's not talked about enough.

It's really good.

Yeah, he uses the timing, also the pace on his serve really well.

Places it perfectly. His percentages are crazy good.

And even if you're in there, he will make you play four tough points for sure to have to break him.

And I think that's why it's so tough.

Even best of three is already tough to beat him because he demands that much consistency on a high level.

But it's not like you can win a few points.

If you play really well, he will give you a few.

I think he's moving the same way as he used to probably, I don't know.

I assume it's 38.

I've got to give us something.

I've got to give us a little weakness at this point.

But yeah, a lot to learn from that one.

Especially that consistency is really something I would love to have.

I'm glad you pointed out the serve because mathematically and statistically,

you look at what's allowed him to have this like career success.

It's actually how much better his serve's got.

And you kind of mentioned that I wanted to do it.

What is that pressure of the spot?

When you say that, for a casual fan who doesn't understand that, what do you mean?

It's not really readable.

At least I couldn't find it.

Maybe some guys have a better take on that.

No, not fun, that's it.

That's the list.

Yeah.

With just that is really tough because the serve is not crazy fast,

but a little bit like a Roger Prime, just always same toss.

Being able to hit all spots, it makes it almost like a guessing game.

And with such high percentage first serve is really tough.

And again, on the return, it's not like he's giving you many.

Yeah.

That's also an impressive thing.

I think he's is able to stay so stable.

And just reach to those far stretched out balls and still be able to stay in the

point and place a return.

Not just there, but like actually deep and.

And it's like.

So you don't get a winner off the first shot unless you place some crazy tennis.

Yeah.

I think those are the keys.

And I think that's already like more than 50% of tennis.

If you if you do those things better than your opponent, you're in great shape,

that serve and return.

No, that makes a lot of sense to me.

My last two questions for you, I promise.

More pressure at this point when you face a Novak Jokovic or that second time facing

Elliott Spaziri, like I am just curious because again, for us,

we're mortals for those of you turning in.

You're new, no freaking board.

Just three time SEC player of the year, like the guy like, I'm curious when

it's you see these rise in college kids, if it feels a little different now.

You mean in the same tournament?

Yeah.

Well, you played Elliott.

You beat him the first time and then you played him a second time, right?

Yes, I beat him in Athens just before Novak.

Yeah, yeah, sure.

And then I played him in Auckland.

Well, honestly, I didn't feel crazy pressure.

I was just in a tough spot because I finished very late the night before.

And then I had to play a bit earlier the day after and he had a day off.

So I kind of knew he was going to come at me really, really fast.

And it was tough for me to get into the match and then really well played by him in that

tie break and it made a huge difference in terms of momentum for that second set.

So I honestly didn't think I played that bad.

It was more like he took really well that momentum and I thought a bit of the

advantage that he had from just the scheduling that happens.

It's, I guess, part of tennis.

But I still had a good shot.

I thought I played pretty decent.

It makes a lot of sense.

But yeah, sometimes it is easier to go face Novak and just play your tennis.

Unless you're thinking, I'm going to make a fool of myself and just get one and one.

But that wasn't the case.

I was playing really good in Athens.

But yeah, in Auckland, that particular match, I don't think it was me like

considering too much to the feeling of pressure, but more like his merits.

He was playing really good.

No, that makes a lot of sense to me.

I guess where to end it would be again, 29 years old now.

Yeah, happy belated birthday.

Yeah, I know that was recent.

Yeah, I was looking at that.

Yeah, yeah, it's like I know that's right around this time.

Usually it is.

Yeah, your birthday doesn't move.

Does it every year?

You don't celebrate it at a different day.

It's not on the 29th.

Yeah.

Good point.

Does imposter syndrome ever go away?

And what I mean by that is like, even for me, when I show up to an event like this, there are times

where I'm like, dude, that's Adrian fucking Manorina.

And I've watched him since I was eight years old.

I'm really going to go up to him and say hello.

For you as the player, does it feel any, like do you down, you belong?

That's where it's just like there's none of that buzz, none of that.

I'm a professional.

I'm here to work this week.

That's funny.

I used to feel like that before.

I remember being 60 or 70 in the world that I'm like, I don't feel like I belong here.

I don't know why I'm here.

And I think that comes with the level that is demanded from you every day.

And you don't feel so secure.

You don't feel like you got it all figured out.

Or you wouldn't be 60 or you wouldn't be where you are.

But again, I don't think you'll ever find it unless you're really at the very top comfortably,

which doesn't happen often.

So it is a normal feeling.

And again, I got used to it.

And now I talk to a few more guys and I hang out with them.

And I'm more comfortable in this scenario.

Maybe when I didn't know many people.

Sure.

It was more like asking guys to practice with still a little bit.

It was never easy for me.

Being quite shy, but you know, I grew up by matured.

And now I got used to that feeling out of feel like an imposter anymore.

But it's not like I still have my doubts.

I still have my inconsistencies in my tennis that I'm trying to work through.

And it is hard to deal with.

Yeah, certainly I've evolved from that.

But I guess it's part of being on for a little longer.

But it's good.

I made some friendships that I think it made me a little more comfortable.

And closest friend on tour.

Not to put you on the spot.

No, Cabral, obviously.

I'm still waiting for my other two Portuguese mates to come.

We practice with each other and Lisbon every time we're around.

Obviously there are the closest guys I have.

And the flag does matter a lot.

Of course.

We share the Davis Cup team too.

So like really special memories there.

I'm good with a lot of guys.

I'm college guys.

Like a Vouquet, a Rinderneck.

Some of the guys I play doubles with, honestly.

When you play doubles with them, I feel like there's a little bit of a connection there.

And I prefer to play with a friend.

And somebody I don't identify with.

Yeah, sure.

It's more fun that way.

No, it makes a lot of sense.

And you got more and more options.

It feels like every year.

Rinder Knash, Basharrow.

Like all these different guys continue to rise.

Again, through it all.

You continue to have success.

So new no board just annual tradition to get to see you here.

Appreciate it.

You take it the time to interview.

And of course, congratulations on all of the success looking forward to watching this week.

Thanks for having me and all the compliments.

Very exaggerated.

But I appreciate it.

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