Stefanos Tsitsipas is yet to win the Barcelona Open title, dropping all three finals. After taking only a couple of games against Rafael Nadal in the 2018 title clash, the same rivals met in another final three years later. Stefanos gave his 120% in a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 loss, wasting a match point and losing a thriller after three hours and 38 minutes. Speaking about that match ahead of this week’s Madrid Masters, Stefanos praised Rafa and the fact he drew the most from him. The Greek stood so close to the finish line, losing an exciting rally on a match point and dropping the encounter’s last three games to finish runner-up. Rafa survived and remained perfect in the Barcelona Open finals, lifting his 12th trophy at the home event. It was Nadal’s first ATP title since Roland Garros 2020, and he had to give his everything to overpower an in-form rival and the Monte Carlo champion.
Stefanos Tsitsipas wasted a match point against Rafael Nadal in Barcelona 2021.
Shifting the form from Monte Carlo to Barcelona, the Greek reached the final without losing a set and stood a point away from toppling the king of clay on the court that carries his name. For Nadal, this title could not come at a better moment. He missed two months following an epic failure against Stefanos in Melbourne and suffered an early Monte Carlo exit to Andrey Rublev. Staying composed while playing against a match point at 4-5 in the decider, Nadal survived that rally and gathered a massive boost to rattle off the last three games and deliver one of the most thrilling victories of his career.
“Rafael Nadal and I met in the Barcelona Open final for the second time made it memorable. I had the experience from the previous matches and brought the desired intensity. Rafa brought the best out of me, and I was so close. It was so disappointing to finish on the losing side. I had a match point, and one of Rafa’s shots clipped the net and passed to my side. The rally continued, and it was shocking for me as I was getting ready to feel the emotion and celebrate the win. It did not happen, and it’s fine. You should not celebrate too early, and I realized that,” Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
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