Elias Ymer beat his younger brother Mikael 6-2, 7-6(4) on Tuesday at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm, a rare ATP Tour meeting between siblings at their home event.
Significance of Brotherly Matches in Tennis
The matchup was only the eighth tour-level clash between brothers since 1990 and the second this season, following the Cerúndolo brothers in Buenos Aires. After sealing the win, the brothers shared an embrace at the net. Ranked No. 243, Elias arrived on an eight-match losing streak across all levels and said the occasion felt special regardless of the result, noting how unusual it was for him to be overcome with emotion.
In other results, Marin Cilic defeated 19-year-old Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 7-5, 6-3 in one hour, 33 minutes. The 37-year-old Croatian leaned on his serve indoors, winning 85 percent of his first-serve points and hitting 12 aces. Competing in Sweden for the first time in his professional career, Cilic will next face second seed Casper Ruud, who leads their head-to-head 3-0.
Elsewhere, Tomas Martin Etcheverry outlasted Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-3 in a two-hour, 55-minute battle. Kamil Majchrzak advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Filip Misolic.
Past tour-level brother showdowns include Alexander Zverev vs. Mischa Zverev in 2018 (Washington), Gerald Melzer vs. Jürgen Melzer in 2016 (Kitzbühel), and Olivier Rochus vs. Christophe Rochus in 2000 (Palermo) and 2002 (Wimbledon). These matches not only highlight the competitive spirit between siblings but also showcase the unique emotional dynamics present in family rivalries within the sport.