Assuming the weather is amenable, the third round at the Barcelona Open will be played in full on Thursday. The competition for a place in the quarterfinals looks set to be fierce, with a number of big names taking to the court, including both the king of clay and his heir apparent. But who will reach the last eight and who will fall by the wayside?<\/p>\n
Head-to-head:<\/strong> first meeting<\/p>\n What may prove to be a spectacular duel will get the day started on Rafael Nadal Court. Japan\u2019s Nishikori, the champion in 2014 and 2015, despite a fast start to the season which saw him lift the title in Brisbane before battling into the Australian Open quarterfinals, has not inspired much confidence with his play since leaving Melbourne. His second-round loss to Pierre-Hugues Herbert in Monte Carlo was just the latest in an increasingly long line of disappointing results.<\/p>\n On the other hand, the young Canadian Auger-Aliassime is enjoying one of the finest periods of his career. After a disappointing January, the highly-touted teen has risen from the outskirts of the top 100 to break into the world\u2019s top 30 in just three months, highlighted by a magnificent run to the Miami Open semifinals. It certainly looks like the patient approach designed by his team in the last couple of years is paying off. And his heavy topspin forehand and solid backhand, combined with impressive athleticism, give him the tools to do real damage on the dirt.<\/p>\n Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in three
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