By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, April 24, 2021
Eleven-time Barcelona champion Rafael Nadal squares off against Monte-Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in a blockbuster Barcelona Open final.
Photo credit: Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell Instagram
Barcelona's red clay is a royal rematch battle ground.
King of clay Rafael Nadal will face Monte-Carlo king Stefanos Tsitsipas in tomorrow's Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell battle between the two top seeds.
Nadal: No Sinner Surprise
It's a rematch of the 2018 final and marks the first time two Top 5-ranked players will square off for the Barcelona crown in 13 years—when Nadal conquered compatriot David Ferrer in the title match.
Hurling heavy topspin drives, Nadal continued his career dominance of doubles partner Pablo Carreno Busta with a 6-3, 6-2 victory roaring into his 12th career Barcelona final on his namesake court. Nadal broke in Carreno Busta's opening service game of both sets raising his Barcelona record to 65-4 in his most convincing performance of the week.
Continuing his hunt for a record-extending 12th Barcelona title, Nadal faces the ATP Tour's hottest player, Stefanos Tsitsipas, in a rematch of the 2018 final, which Nadal swept 6-1, 6-2 to win his 11th Barcelona crown.
"Very happy to be back in the final here. It's a historic event and my home event and an important one for me," Nadal said. "I think I did well today, better than the other days. I have been improving a bit more. And tomorrow will be a very tough one.
"He's playing probably his best ever, not one set lost Monte-Carlo and here. So it will be the toughest opponent possible. I hope to be ready. It's going to be a tough one, but I will hopefully be able to increase my level."
The 34-year-old Spaniard is a perfect 11-0 in Barcelona finals, while the 22-year-old Tsitsipas rides a career-best nine-match winning streak into the title match.
The second-seeded Tsitsipas says he's ready for redemption in Barcelona and should be empowered after rallying past Nadal from a two-set deficit in a stirring 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-5 Australian Open quarterfinal comeback in February.
"It feels great to be back. I will try to redeem myself from last time," Tsitsipas said. "It's been a learning experience for me playing that first final against Rafa. He's someone that I really respect and I've always dreamed of beating and the fact I was able to do it this year kind of pushes me to push myself even more, even further, because I feel like I need experiences like this. Definitely looking forward to [the final]."
Earlier, Tsitsipas combined declarative serve and dynamic all-court skills for a 6-3, 6-3 sweep of Miami Open finalist Jannik Sinner.
Tsitsipas stretched his winning streak to a career-best nine matches—sweeping 17 straight sets in a dynamic streak.
"It was very close—it was a close match. He had a lot of opportunities to break my serve," Tsitsipas said. "But I stayed tough and converted those break points so that was very crucial and important.
"I felt like I had more possibilities when I was playing so I felt kind of free on court as opposed to him. I felt he played it more safe than I did. I created some opportunities that led me to take advantage."
Tomorrow, the newly-crowned Monte-Carlo king takes on the king of clay in what should be a compelling clash pitting Tsitsipas' stinging serve against Nadal's rousing return game.
Carrying a commanding 7-0 record against his ATP Cup teammate onto court, Nadal wasted no time asserting his authority today.
Sliding an ace down the T to seal the opening game, Nadal ravaged rallies breaking for 2-0.
Despite a rare brain cramp—Nadal incorrectly thought his first serve was long and turned his back to the court but the ball was good and he lost the point on indifference—the top seed backed up the break.
When you're winless in seven matches against Nadal and carry the scar tissue from a 6-1, 6-1 shellacking in Rome as Carreno Busta has making first serves is imperative.
The good news for Carreno Busta? He landed 19 of his first 20 first serves.
The bad news? Nadal tormented his first serve as if it were a second ripping deep returns for 5-1.
Steam rolling to that lead, Nadal stumbled botching a smash while staring into the sun before double-faulting back the break in the seventh game.
Seeing the lapse, Carreno Busta was striking with more confidence reaching love-30 on Nadal's serve in the ninth game. The sixth seed flattened a forehand down the middle handcuffing Nadal for a break point to get back on serve, but Carreno Busta netted a rally backhand.
A nervy Nadal nudged a forehand drop shot into the top of the tape to face a second break point. Dancing in the doubles alley, Nadal crushed a diagonal forehand to deny it. Nadal saved a third break point with a surprise serve-and-volley before coaxing a shanked forehand to take the 45-minute opener.
Even when Carreno Busta stretched his opponent wide with the slice serve, Nadal often had the answer. A crackling crosscourt forehand pass left Carreno Busta crashing to the clay as he stretched in vain for a volley. That knockdown earned Nadal the break to start the second set.
Curling high heavy forehands into his compatriot's backhand wing, Nadal banged out the error charging out to his second consecutive 3-0 lead.
With coach Carlos Moya and his dad, Sebastian Nadal, watching from the box, Nadal closed in 90 minutes improving his clay-court record vs. fellow Spaniards to 93-7.