Elias Ymer prevails in sibling duel at home
Under Stockholm’s indoor lights, Elias Ymer turned family rivalry into a breakthrough win over Mikael, snapping a skid with raw emotion and steady play in the BNP Paribas Nordic Open.
On the brisk indoor hard courts of the BNP Paribas Nordic Open, Elias Ymer faced a matchup laced with personal stakes, taking on his younger brother Mikael Ymer in a rare ATP Tour sibling clash. The 29-year-old Swede, ranked No. 243 and mired in an eight-match losing streak, channeled the home crowd’s energy to secure a 6-2, 7-6(4) victory. This marked the eighth brotherly encounter at tour level since 1990 and the second this season, following the Argentine pair Francisco Cerundolo and Juan Manuel Cerundolo in Buenos Aires.
Emotional breakthrough fuels straight-sets win
The first set unfolded with Elias dictating from the baseline, using crosscourt forehands to pin Mikael back and force errors on the low-bouncing surface. His steady returns neutralized the younger Ymer’s aggressive inside-in attempts, building a commanding 6-2 lead amid rising cheers from the familiar Stockholm stands. In the second, the tiebreak tested resolve, where Elias’s down-the-line backhand at 4-all clinched the 7-4 finish, blending tactical poise with the psychological lift of home soil.
The brothers’ net embrace spoke volumes, a moment of shared heritage after the tension. Elias’s post-match words captured the catharsis, his voice cracking under the arena’s spotlights.
“Today, I would have been happy even if I lost,” said the elder Swede, tears welling unusually. “I’m usually never crying. I don’t know what’s happening.”
Brotherly clashes highlight tour’s rare bonds
Sibling rivalries on the ATP circuit evoke intense narratives, with Elias’s win joining a sparse list since 2000 that includes Alexander Zverev over Mischa Zverev, Gerald Melzer past Jurgen Melzer, and Olivier Rochus edging Christophe Rochus, even at Wimbledon in 2002. These matches often mix competition with deeper ties, much like the Ymers’ duel, where familiarity sharpened every point without dulling the edge. The emotional undercurrent amplified the stakes, turning a family affair into a pivotal reset for the elder brother amid his season’s struggles.
Veteran serves dominate other openers
Across the draw, Marin Cilic leaned on his experience to outlast 19-year-old Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 7-5, 6-3, firing 12 aces and winning 85 percent of first-serve points in a 1-hour, 33-minute affair, as ATP Stats detail. The 37-year-old Croat, debuting professionally in Sweden, set up points with a one–two punch of heavy serves followed by inside-out forehands, overpowering the Dane’s defensive scrambles on the quick indoor hard. Next up for him is second seed Casper Ruud, who leads their head-to-head 3-0, promising a test of whether Cilic’s delivery can disrupt the Norwegian’s rhythm.
In a contrasting grind, Tomas Martin Etcheverry endured qualifier Mark Lajal across three sets, 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-3, in two hours and 55 minutes, relying on deep crosscourt groundstrokes to wear down resistance in the decider. Kamil Majchrzak, meanwhile, streamlined his advance with flat, penetrating returns to dismiss Filip Misolic 6-2, 6-2, exploiting any lapses in baseline consistency. As the Nordic Open progresses, these early battles underscore resilience, with Elias’s emotional surge hinting at potential runs that could redefine trajectories under the Stockholm roof.
