Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell: Will Nadal be able to bounce back?

Despite another disappointed year at the Monte Carlo Masters, Rafael Nadal still hasn't given up on his favourite clay surface. In fact he is aiming for a ninth title at the Barcelona Open happening this week.

Last Saturday, the Nadal was defeated in straight sets by world no.1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters. However, the Spaniard insisted he was pleased by his progress after a poor start at the beginning of the year due to injury

"For me, it's a very positive week. The most positive week of the season, without any doubt," said Nadal.

"If I am able to keep doing that in the next tournament in Barcelona, and I have a tough draw, I will say that I am very well again."

The 8-time champion is seeded second after defending champion Kei Nishikori who ended a nine-year streak by Nadal in 2014. Other players who will be playing in Barcelona are David Ferrer, Milos Raonic, Marin Cilic, Feliciano Lopez, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Ernests Gulbis. However, the odds are high that Nishikori will give Nadal a run for the money.

Image via tennisplanet.me

Kei Nishikori
The world no. 4, reigning champion and top seed Kei Nishikori makes his fifth straight appearance in Barcelona with a 10-3 career tournament record. A year ago Nishikori entered the Barcelona tournament ranked no. 17 and he only dropped one set en route to his first career ATP World Tour clay court title. This season Nishikori is 21-5 with a title in Memphis. This is the fifth time in Nishikori’s career he is the top seed in an ATP tournament. He has quite an outstanding 16-1 record as the top seed with his only loss to Ferrer in the Acapulco final. Nishikori was absent from the recent Monte Carlo Masters.

Image via Skysports

Rafael Nadal
Nadal is aiming for the ninth title here. He comes into Barcelona with a brilliant 42-2 career tournament record. His 41-match winning streak in Barcelona came to an end after beaten by fellow countryman Nicolas Almagro in the quarterfinals last year. Eight of Nadal’s titles came in the past 10 years (he did not play in 2010). This is the fourth time Nadal is not the top seed i.e. in the year 2013, 2005 and 2003. This is going to be an interesting tournament that could make or break Nadal in the subsequent clay court tournaments before the French Open.

Rafael Nadal honoured in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal was in Barcelona yesterday to receive a full size replica of the ‘Conde de Godo’ trophy at the Barcelona Royal Tennis Club.

Being the only player to have won the tournament five times, Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899, decided to honour Nadal with a full size replica of the giant trophy.

The Spaniard is set to play at the Paris Masters early November, before the London World Tour Finals and a Davis Cup final in Barcelona against the Czech Republic from December 4-6.

(Images via Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images)

Fernando Verdasco: You've gotta love him!

Recently while in Barcelona for the Banco Sabadell Barcelona Open, Fernando Verdasco did a photo shoot for the Fundación Talita, an organisation dedicated to serving children affected by Down Syndrome.

Verdasco took part in Fundación Talita's annually published Solidarity Campaign, where celebrities are photographed with children helped by the foundation.

Photographed by Paco Berdmar, Verdasco posed with his young fan, Elena.

They will appear in Talita 2010, the eighth consecutive edition of a popular almanac that has become one of the most waited for Christmas presents in Spain.

For further reading, click here or here for the Spanish version.

(Via ohnotheydidnt; Image via La Wed del Tenis)

Rome Masters: Man of the moment

Rafael Nadal arrived in Rome fresh from winning his fifth straight Barcelona Open title.

There closeup photos were taken at the press conference during day one of the Foro Italico Tennis Masters.

Everyone will be asking the same question, will he dominate here too?


(Images by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal takes 5th consecutive Barcelona Open

Last week, Rafael Nadal won his fifth straight Monte Carlo Masters and just yesterday he won his fifth straight Barcelona Open title, beating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-2, 7-5.

I believe all Nadal's fans around the world is eager to see him win at Rome Masters, which starts today, as well as the prestigious French Open at the end of May.

Now the four-time defending French Open champion goes into the Rome Masters on a 25-match unbeaten run with only three defeats in his last 133 matches on clay.

(Images Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images)

When two Spanish greats meet...

Former tennis great Manolo Santana and Rafael Nadal exchanged racquets during a promotional event for Nadal's Fundación Rafa Nadal.

Santana gave the foundation his heavy wooden Dunlop racquet used in the year when he won the Wimbledon Championships.

In exchange, Nadal gave Santana his modern Babolat racquet which helped him won the 5th consecutive Monte Carlo Open last week.

Nadal apologized to Santana and said, "This is not so much history (referring to his Babolat tennis racquet)."

Nadal who is a four-time defending champion here at the ATP 500 World Tour Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell tennis tournament will debut tomorrow against Frederico Gil in the second round.

(Image via elmundo.es)

Rafael Nadal stands out among the crowd

Rafael Nadal who was spotted in a striking pink coloured Nike t-shirt.

The Monte Carlo Masters champion was on his way back to the players lounge after attending a press conference on day one of the ATP 500 World Tour Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell 2009 tennis tournament at the Real Club de Tenis today in Barcelona, Spain.


(Images by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images Europe)