The Barcelona Open has given tennis fans the biggest treat they possibly could have. The tennis world gets to witness Rafael Nadal play one more time as he gets ready to face Alex De Minaur. Rafa has teased a return to many tournaments but could not manage to play on the ATP Tour after the Brisbane International. He reprised his role as the ‘King of Clay’ in Barcelona, where he won his first clash, and aims to win it for the 13th time.

Minaur will be a tough challenge for Rafa as the Aussie player has proven to be a menace. This year saw him reach the final of the ATP Rotterdam and win the Mexican Open. Now, he will aim to recreate similar results on clay.

Rafael Nadal vs Alex De Minaur: Preview

Rafa returned to Barcelona to delight his fans by showing them a glimpse of his former self. He faced and defeated Flavio Cobolli in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. The 12x Barcelona Open Champion couldn’t hit any aces but managed to win 78% of points on his first serve. He also took 4 break points and only gave away one, which shows his mentality under stress is still intact. 

Minaur prefers to play on fast courts, with grass his favorite. But he showed good control on clay in the Monte-Carlo Masters. The Aussie player reached the quarterfinal before losing to Novak Djokovic. He eliminated Stan Wawrinka, Tallon Griekspoor and Alexei Popyrin on his way while achieving one bagel. Minaur hit 10 aces and averages 69% win on first serve. He is certainly set to go all guns blazing in the clash against Rafa.

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Nadal vs Minaur: Head-to-Head

Nadal and Minaur have played against each other four times on the ATP Tour. The Spaniard leads the rivalry 3-1 and has dominated Minaur on every surface aside from clay, where they will meet each other for the first time.

• 2018 Wimbledon round of 32: Nadal 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
• 2019 Australian Open round of 32: Nadal 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
• 2020 ATP Cup semifinal: Nadal 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
• 2023 United Cup round robin: 3-6, 6-1, 7-5

The Australian player will also have a chance to gain an upper hand against Nadal. However, he will have trouble facing Nadal, where he is king, on a surface which is much slower than his preferred surface, grass. Can De Minaur spring a surprise?

Prediction: De Minaur to upset Nadal fans

A tennis fan would love to declare Nadal as the victor against Minaur, but the Aussie is just too good at the moment. Rafa’s main goal was to get wins under his belt at the start of the year, but continuous injuries hampered his ability to compete. The worst fears of Rafa fans have come true as he will face a player who broke into the top 10 this year.

While the Aussie player has a better chance of winning the bout, he only edges out Rafa slightly. Nadal showed that he is not someone to be taken lightly despite the long hiatus. He did not let Cobolli take the lead at any moment and won the bout in a great show. Minaur poses the perfect challenge for him, as it will give him insight into the current extent of his abilities.

The Aussie player is no master on clay, but he has shown a great capacity to perform on the surface. Minaur will have to use every skill he has if he wants to beat Nadal, who will go all guns blazing. The match will be close, and the victory will go home ecstatic.