Rafael Nadal history at Barcelona Open: All you need to know

Twenty-two time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will return to the men's tour this week at the Barcelona Open. He will be making his second appearance this year, having previously chalked up a quarterfinal exit in the Brisbane International.

The men's locker room will be on the edge of their seats to witness Nadal make his first appearance on clay in almost two years. He has an outrageous record on the surface and his peers will know that any kind of momentum leading up to the French Open, would make him the favorite to win the Major in Paris.

As for the upcoming Barcelona Open 2024, the Spaniard has an astonishing record at the event. At a remarkable 94 percent success rate, he has captured 12 titles in the tournament so far, which is more than any other player in the Open Era. His debut in 2003 resulted in an ordinary second-round exit at the hands of Alex Corretja. However, the tennis fraternity was not prepared for what was to follow in Barcelona after his first appearance.

Nadal went on to chalk up a 42-match win streak at the event and clinched eight titles during this miraculous run. He dominated the Barcelona Open in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. During this spell, he outclassed fellow Spaniard David Ferrer four times in the finals. The former World No. 3, Ferrer, came close to conquering Nadal during their first encounter in 2008 but was no match to his supremacy on clay in the rest of the years (2009, 2011, 2012).

Meanwhile, in 2014, former World No. 9 Nicolas Almagro put an end to the Spaniard's incredible streak in Barcelona. In a thrilling encounter, which lasted almost three hours, Almagro outlasted Nadal in three sets in the quarterfinals.

Having said that, the 37-year-old wasn't done yet at the Barcelona Open after experiencing a roadblock in 2014. He went on to capture four more titles in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021. Nadal outsmarted the reigning Monte-Carlo Masters champion Stefanos Tsitsipas twice in the finals in 2018 and 2021. Both players are now included in the main draw of the latest edition of the Barcelona Open in 2024. They could set up a semifinal clash against each other if they remain unbeaten in the previous round.

Nadal's legacy at the Barcelona Open will go down as one of the most fierce success stories in men's tennis. To honor his achievements at the iconic event, the center-court at the venue was named after Rafael Nadal in 2017, when he captured his 10th title. The court is now popularly known as 'Pista Rafa Nadal' at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.

---

Rafael Nadal to square off against Flavio Cobolli in R1 of the Barcelona Open

Fomer World No. 1 at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2021

Rafael Nadal will take on Flavio Cobolli in the first round of the Barcelona Open 2024. The head-to-head between the duo is poised at 0-0 as they have never faced each other on the main tour.

While Nadal will enter Barcelona on the back of a quarterfinal appearance in the Brisbane International, Cobolli chalked up an early exit in the Monte-Carlo Masters and a second-round finish in the Morocco Open.

The Italian Cobolli began his campaign in Morocco by cruising past Abedallah Shelbayh, but couldn't make his mark against Pavel Kotov. The Russian defeated him in the second round with a scoreline of 6-1, 7-6(5).

Nadal will make his 17th appearance in the Barcelona Open this week. On the other hand, Cobolli will be making his debut at the event. The duo is scheduled to play the third match on court Pista Rafa Nadal in the afternoon session on April 16.