Stefanos Tsitsipas and Fabio Fognini are confirmed to join and challenge Rafael Nadal in the ATP500 that will be staged on the 19th of April in Barcelona.
Nadal won the event in Barcelona 11 times and he disintegrated Tsitsipas in the 2018 final 6-2 6-1. However, the defending champion is Dominic Thiem that has curiously chosen to play the ATP250 in Belgrad in the same week.
Tsitsipas played in Barcelona twice, reaching the 3rd round in 2019 after losing the final in 2018.
Fabio Fognini played the event in Barcelona 7 times, reaching the quarters in 2015 and 2016.
The event was not staged in 2020 because of the Coronavirus pandemic. It seems there will be no issues this year. The only question mark is the attendance of the fans.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2021
Now ranked no.5 (career-high), Stefanos played his last match on the 20th of March when he lost to Alexander Zverev 6-4 7-6(3) in the final in Acapulco (draw).
This year the Greek has a 14-4 record. Stefanos Tsitsipas’s latest run in Acapulco was the best achievement of his season.
Rafael Nadal in 2021
Now ranked no.3, Rafael played his last match on the 17th of February when he was defeated by Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 7-5 in the quarter of the Australian Open (draw).
During this season Nadal owns an overall 4-1 record.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Rafael Nadal played each other 8 times. Their current record is 6-2 for Nadal. Previously, the last time they played, Stefanos Tsitsipas won 3-6 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 7-5 in the quarter in Melbourne (Australian Open) on the 17th of February 2021.
In the following video you can watch the key moments of their match.
Fabio Fognini in 2021
Ranked no.17, Fognini played his last match on the 17th of March when he lost to Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-3 in the 2nd round in Acapulco (draw).
This year the Italian has a 7-5 record.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, Rafael Nadal |
| Embed from Getty Images |
