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A few hours ago, Rafael Nadal saddened his fans by announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 edition of the Australian Open due to an injury suffered at the Brisbane Open, in the match against Jordan Thompson. The Spaniard decided to give up the Melbourne Slam as a preventative measure, in order to make the best of his beloved clay-season.
And in the last few hours some news has arrived that will make the Spaniard’s fans happy. At the moment, Nadal is officially registered in the Entry List of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. The ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona will also see the Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz among the participants.
The youngest No.1 in the history of tennis will try to defend the title won in the 2023 edition, when he overcame the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
Carlitos participated in 2021, 2022 and 2023 in the competition held in the capital of Catalonia.
During his first appearance he lost to American tennis player Frances Tiafoe in the first round. The second time he won the title by beating coutryman Pablo Carreno Busta, while last year he defended the title, confirming himself as champion.
This year, the tournament will begin on April 13, the week following the ATP Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo and preceding the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid in which Alcaraz is defending champion. The Barcelona Open Bamc Sabadell will end on April 21, 2024.
Nadal and Alcaraz will play the Barcelona Open 2024
The 2023 Wimbledon champion is the second participant announced by the promoters after Nadal. The winner of 22 Slams returned to the circuit in Brisbane, after a year’s absence following the injury suffered during the Australian Opem 2023, in which he was defending the title of the previous edition, and will compete on the clay courts of Barcelona in which he won 12 times.
Nadal’s last success in the Spanish ATP 500 tournament dates back to 2021, when he defeated Stefanios Tsitsipas. It should also be remembered that, in 2017, the organizers of the tournament dedicated the central court to the legendary Spanish champion, naming it Pista Rafael Nadal.
For Alcaraz, however, this is the fourth seasonal event on clay, as the young player registered in February for the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires and the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro and at the beginning of April for the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo.
