Vamos! The ATP World Tour heads south to Barcelona for the second major clay court event on the road to Roland Garros. Kei Nishikori, ranked #5 in the world and the top seed at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, will attempt to defend his title and capture his second of the season.
Rafa Nadal, currently ranked fourth in the world, has won this event eight times and is looking to advance further than the quarters where in 2014 he was upset by his compatriot, Nicolas Almagro. Rafa, though an eight-time champion at Barcelona (winning an incredible eight titles in nine years) is indisputably lacking in confidence coming off a straights set loss to Novak Djokovic on the dirt in the semis at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Scarcely 155 ranking points separate the top two seeds and with Nishikori attempting to repeat in Barcelona, he has 500 points to defend. Rafa, on the other hand, can only further distance himself from Nishikori, having lost last year in the quarters. Rafa can also pick up additional ranking points should he claim the crown in Rome, having lost in the final at last year’s Italian Open. Should he lose before the final there and in Madrid, Rafa could potentially forfeit 1600 ranking points! Rafa’s lone clay court title in 2014 prior to the French Open was in Madrid at the Mutua Open due to the forced retirement of an injured Kei Nishikori–who had taken the first set and was up a break in the second.
Performing well at this prestigious event is crucial for Rafa heading into the French Open for the outcome could well determine the seedings at Roland Garros. It is quite conceivable that Rafa Nadal might not even be seeded in the top four should he lose early this week and in the weeks to come, thereby introducing the possibility he could draw the top seed, Novak Djokovic, in the quarterfinals.
This ATP Tour 500 event consistently draws the top players and this year is no exception. David Ferrer, a four-time finalist in Barcelona, is hoping to advance to his fifth final after having lost last year in the second round. Milos Raonic, coming off a right foot injury that forced him to retire against Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals at Monte-Carlo, has twice made the semis in Barcelona, losing in 2012 to Ferrer and in 2013 to Nadal.
Clay-court supremacy, indomitable aura, and precious ranking points are all up for grabs at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Who will reign in Spain?
Main Photo
