The words ‘Rafael Nadal‘ and ‘Barcelona Open’ go hand in hand. After all, even the ground of the clay court is named after him owing to his back-to-back victories on the court. However, if we dig deeper, a tapestry of champions’ marks on the clay court can be noticed. Apart from Nadal’s 12 titles, a variety of notable players have appeared on the winner’s podium multiple times. And here’s how they have changed the history of the Barcelona Open tournament.

Apart from the maestro Nadal, there is one more Spaniard who has clinched the title more than once. It is none other than Manuel Orantes, who won in 1969, 1971, and then again in 1976. And next to him in line is the Swedish tactician, Mats Wilander. With his incredible prowess on the clay court, he has also made it to the podium not once, but three times. He first won the title when he was only 17 years old back in 1982. Then he continued his mastery on the clay court to win it again in 1984 and 1988.

However, for Kent Carlsson, another Swede and master of clay courts, the Barcelona Open title has come only twice. He first secured the trophy in 1986, following another trophy two years later on the same clay court. And after almost a year, one more player followed him on the same path. Andres Gomez of Ecuador proved to be more than just a one-hit wonder after winning the French Open. He won his first Barcelona title in 1989 and then again in 1990, firmly establishing himself as a powerful player on clay. However, the reign of tennis players winning multiple Barcelona Open titles in the 1990s did not end there.

In the mid-1990s, the former “King of Clay”, Australian Thomas Muster emerged. Showcasing his unwavering will to win the title, he achieved the trophy once in 1995 and again the following year. But the early 2000s saw the rise of a new “King of Clay,” Rafael Nadal, who won the title consecutively from 2005 to 2009. But apart from him in more recent times, Japanese Kei Nishikori has won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.

And then there’s also the 20-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. He has already successfully defended his title and won in 2022 and 2023, bringing in a new generation of clay-court masters. However, as we delve into the present era of the Barcelona Open, two names stand out who have the potential to join the illustrious history of the tournament.

Stefanos Tsitsipas or Casper Ruud might get their first-ever Barcelona Open title today!

As this year’s Barcelona Open unfolds, fans are keeping an eye on the new rivals on the court. They are none other than Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud. In 2023, Carlos Alcaraz defeated the Greek maestro when they made it to the final. However, Tsitsipas’ journey in 2024 has been nothing short of extraordinary. After his Monte Carlo victory, he has once again reached the finals of the Barcelona Open, a place he has lost in 2018, 2021, and 2023.

On the other hand, the Norwegian player Ruud has also recently made waves on the ATP tour. He broke the record for defeating most players in the finals of major tournaments since 1990. And now, after his defeat against Tsitsipas in the Monte Carlo finals, he has once again qualified for the finals of the Barcelona Open against him. Now all eyes will be on them to see who comes out victorious to gain his first title of this tournament.

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