Barcelona 500 - 18th April to 24th April 2016

[GameSetAndMath]

With a draw size as big as 48, Barcelona is a special ATP 500. This year again it falls on the shoulders of Kei/Ferrer to stop Rafa (neither of whom seem to be 100% fit right now).

Here is the draw.

Projected quarterfinals are

Rafa vs. Troiki (or Fog :devil)
Ferrer vs. Deliciano
Paire vs. Gasquet
RBA vs. Kei

 

[Kieran]

Hopefully if he makes the quarters, Rafa faces Fog. I love watching payback in motion...

 

[Fiero425]

Hopefully if he makes the quarters, Rafa faces Fog. I love watching payback in motion...

Is Kei really ready to play? uzzled :cover :angel:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If Rafa wins this also, he ties Vilas for the maximum number of clay titles (unless they discover this week more clay titles won by Vilas ).

 

[Kieran]

If Rafa wins this also, he ties Vilas for the maximum number of clay titles (unless they discover this week more clay titles won by Vilas ).

Vilas has put in paperwork regarding some cement court titles he won, stating that there was enough clay in the cement mix that these should be considered part of his clay court total...

 

[Fiero425]

If Rafa wins this also, he ties Vilas for the maximum number of clay titles (unless they discover this week more clay titles won by Vilas ).

Vilas has put in paperwork regarding some cement court titles he won, stating that there was enough clay in the cement mix that these should be considered part of his clay court total...

I'm sure people will only care now about this record now that Rafa approaches it! Heaven knows Vilas' name almost never comes up save me speaking of the injustice of the rankings back in '77 where he won about 130 matches, won 2 majors FO & USO), and still was but a footnote in the grand scheme of tennis with all the news about Borg and Connors! :nono :angel: :dodgy:

 

[El Dude]

Fiero, Vilas absolutely should have been #1 in 1977, no question about it. That said, most of his 16 titles that year were low-level tournaments. He won the FO and USO, and one Masters-equivalent tournament (Washington) but the rest were lower level (I don't think they really differentiated between 250/500 equivalent until the 80s.

Jimmy Connors, who was #1, won half as many titles (8), no Slams, but a Masters equivalent (Grand Prix), the WCT final and the ATP final (Tennis Masters Cup). Still, I'm just not sure why Connors was given #1 - not only in 1977, but also 1978, when Borg should have won it.

 

[Fiero425]

Fiero, Vilas absolutely should have been #1 in 1977, no question about it. That said, most of his 16 titles that year were low-level tournaments. He won the FO and USO, and one Masters-equivalent tournament (Washington) but the rest were lower level (I don't think they really differentiated between 250/500 equivalent until the 80s.

Jimmy Connors, who was #1, won half as many titles (8), no Slams, but a Masters equivalent (Grand Prix), the WCT final and the ATP final (Tennis Masters Cup). Still, I'm just not sure why Connors was given #1 - not only in 1977, but also 1978, when Borg should have won it.

They were lower level tournaments; a tier of events that we used to watch the finals on Monday night during the summer! His best competition was Brian Gottfried of all players! I think he was also in the final of the FO vs Vilas, so it was pretty much discounted with Borg taking off that one year getting ready for Wimbledon! Only clay court specialist went to those smaller tourneys when the stars were going to Boston, Canada, & Washington DC! They didn't give Vilas much credit for playing Orange NJ! :snicker :laydownlaughing

 

[rafanoy1992]

I'm actually curious to see on how Nadal plays in this tournament. Yes, he just came off from winning a Masters 1000 title crown. However, in the past couple of years, he has not really carry some sort of momentum from tournament to tournament. Hopefully, he can carry his huge momentum to Barcelona until Roland Garros.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I'm actually curious to see on how Nadal plays in this tournament. Yes, he just came off from winning a Masters 1000 title crown. However, in the past couple of years, he has not really carry some sort of momentum from tournament to tournament. Hopefully, he can carry his huge momentum to Barcelona until Roland Garros.

I think Rafa will win Barcelona, but then fail in both Madrid and Rome (losing in one of them to a mortal and other one to Novak).

 

[Kieran]

If Rafa wins Barcelona, he goes to second in the Race...

 

[Fiero425]

If Rafa wins Barcelona, he goes to second in the Race...

Well that's a different way of thinking about it I guess! I used to make comment of Roger holding onto the #2 ranking for most of last season, but languishing in 6th place in the race until he got to 2 major finals losing to Nole! :cover :nono

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQdfcfAYH4k[/video]

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If Rafa wins Barcelona, he goes to second in the Race...

Oh Boy, Is ATP that bad? :snicker

 

[the AntiPusher]

If Rafa wins Barcelona, he goes to second in the Race...

Oh Boy, Is ATP that bad? :snicker

Nah, Rafa is that good! :clap to defeat the players he did at MC. Only Djoker could have pull off that feat of defeating that "murder row" of players(Monfils and Theim has been pretty consistent the early part of this year)

 

[isabelle]

Gulbis lost as usually

 

[Kieran]

Gulbis lost as usually

Haha, funny because I was just walking along about twenty minutes ago wondering whatever became of Ernest Gulbis. Now I know: he's deferred his serious attempt at world tennis domination for another tournament, at least...

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Rafa should back himself to win this tournament. I don't think there is anyone in the draw who is in a very good form on clay courts particularly one that can get the better of Rafa at the moment.

 

[herios]

Rafa should back himself to win this tournament. I don't think there is anyone in the draw who is in a very good form on clay courts particularly one that can get the better of Rafa at the moment.

I would not overlook Kei. The last time he played, he was in a Master final and here he is the defending champion.

 

[herios]

Bautista Agut upset by a Russian qualifier, Khachanov.