Tennis Frontier

Tag: barcelona

  • Rafael Nadal discusses the Barcelona Open (Interview)

    Rafael Nadal discusses the Barcelona Open (Interview)

    rafael nadal photo Photo by y.caradec

    Rafa, welcome back to Barcelona. You arrived here straight off the back of yet another win in Monte Carlo how much of a high are you one right now?

    Well, thank you very much. Yes very happy with what happened last week of course. It’s been a great week and I enjoyed a lot the way that I played Monte Carlo and always playing in Monte Carlo is special and pleasure you know?

    So, yeah – here I am at Barcelona again. It’s a tournament I know very well and I feel a little bit like home even if my home is Majorca. I am from this club and I enjoyed the fact that I can play here in front of my people.

    You say you feel like home here you turn up here you get ready to play on a court which has your name. Is there much
    more homely feeling anywhere else on the tour?

    Well this part of the season all the events are so special for me now so I really enjoy playing every week and this week is not an exception and now having two weeks in a row at home – Barcelona and Madrid, this is a special two weeks back to back, so happy for everything and I’m just trying to to be ready for the tournament again.

    …and of course here last year you did “La Decima”, what are your memories of winning a tenth title here and how great a feeling was it?

    Yeah was fantastic now and was an unforgettable moment when I received a present on the on the centre court with a video after winning the tenth. Yeah was so special and just can say thanks to all the members here of the
    club. It made me feel like this last year – victory against a very tough opponent in the final. It was a great final …so yeah

    A great moment and you’ve already had it last week and you’ve got it again this week. You turn up here needing to perform to keep hold of the number one spot. Is that extra motivation for you now?

    No, for me that the extra motivation is justing playing the tournament. If I’m playing Monte Carlo, for me like a love story and here almost the same and yes… My real motivation is just playing Monte Carlo last week, now playing Barcelona. That’s a tournament that I had a lot of success that I really feel the passion for playing on it so that’s all.

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  • Nishikori Takes Barcelona

    Nishikori Takes Barcelona

    Kei Nishikori

    Kei Nishikori of Japan has beaten Santiago Giraldo of Colombia to become the first non-Spaniard to win in Barcelona since Gaston Gaudio of Argentina won it in 2002. This was the first final at the Conde de Godó to have no Spaniard in the final since 1996.

    After dropping his first service game of the match Nishikori dominated Giraldo, thereafter, winning 6-2, 6-2, to take his fifth career title, and first ever on clay for the 24-year-old Japanese superstar. Giraldo, 26, was in his second ATP final, though he has yet to take a trophy.

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    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

  • Nadal Bombs Out in Barcelona

    Nadal Bombs Out in Barcelona

    Nadal

    After ten straight defeats at the hands of Rafael Nadal, Nicolas Almagro found his game and his nerve to beat the World No. 1 on the clay at the Conde de Godó in Barcelona, while Nadal continues to struggle with his form and confidence. Nadal broke Almagro in the first game of the first set, but was broken straight back. However, Rafa broke twice more to take the first comfortably, 6-2.

    In the second set, Nadal seemed to be finding his form, but failed to convert several break chances. In the tiebreak, it was Almagro who prevailed to take only his third set off Nadal in the history of their head-to-head.

    Rafa started strong in the third, going up 3-1, before Almagro won three consecutive games. Nadal broke back in the eighth game, evening things up at 4-4. It seemed he had regained control of the match, however Almagro immediately broke back at love, going up 5-4. Serving for the match, he quickly went down 15-40, but Nadal failed to convert both break points. The situation got tricky when Nadal saved the first match point, but a determined Almagro won it on his second, closing out the match 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

    It was the World No. 1’s second clay-court loss in a week, following his defeat to Ferrer in Monte Carlo. It was the first time he has lost in Barcelona since 2003. After losing in the quarterfinals in two consecutive tournaments which he has won eight times each, many questions now surround his ability to defend Roland Garros.

    Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

  • Nadal claims Eighth Barcelona title

    Nadal claims Eighth Barcelona title

    Rafael Nadal was crowned the Barcelona Open champion, for the eighth time in nine years as he beat fellow spaniard Nicolas Almagro in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

    In heavy conditions and constant drizzle, Almagro started quickly, breaking Nadal early in the first set twice and racing out to a 0-3 lead. This prompted the Mallorcan to up his own game and he fought back, breaking Almagro in 3 of his next 4 service games to take command of the match. He served out the first set and broke early in the second.

    Almagro had never beaten Nadal in 9 previous matches and the final followed the same pattern. Nadal closed out the second set to improve his record in the tournament to 40-1.

    Nadal has made all six finals of the tournaments he has participated in since returning from a lengthy layoff, winning four of them. The next stop is Madrid.

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  • Nadal and Almagro to contest Barcelona final

    Nadal and Almagro to contest Barcelona final

    Rafael Nadal moved into the final of the Barcelona Open after a comfortable straight sets win including a second set bagel over the promising Canadian Milos Raonic.

    “I think it was my best match of the whole week,” stated Nadal after wrapping up the clash 6-4 6-0.

    Almagro defeated Phillip Kohlschreiber in only 51 minutes to book his slot in the final, but has never beaten Nadal in nine attempts.

    The Mallorcan is bidding to win the Barcelona title for the eighth time in nine years after his streak at Monte Carlo was ended by Novak Djokovic. He will be a very heavy favourite to secure the silverware.

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