2021 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell Final – Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas taking place? Real Club de Tenis Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
When is Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas on and what time does it start? Sunday 25th April, 2021 – not before 15:00 (UK)
What surface is Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas being played on? Clay (outdoor)
Where can I get tickets for Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas? No tickets are available as this event is sold out
What channel is Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream the match live via their platform. Subscribers of Tennis TV can also stream the match live
THE PREDICTION
This is certainly the final most would have wanted to see here in Barcelona, particularly after world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas’ first Masters event win at last week’s Monte-Carlo Open. The Greek has not dropped a set since losing at the Miami Open at the start of the month and takes his nine-match winning streak into the final here to face Rafael Nadal for the second time this year, having come back from two sets down to beat the Spaniard in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open back in February. World number three Nadal will reclaim the world number two position from Daniil Medvedev no matter what happens here but the 11-tiome former champion will be more than eager to nip the threat of Tsitsipas on clay to his Roland-Garros crown in the bud here with a statement win. That is what is at stake here, more than just the Barcelona Open title but the bragging rights for the rest of the clay season leading up to the second Grand Slam of the year next month. If 22-year-old Tsitsipas continues in this form it is hard to see who can stop him, so 24-year-old Nadal will be out on the court named after him to prove to everybody he is still king on clay.
Nadal has got better and better as the week has progressed but he is still far from his peak ability on this surface, whereas Tsitsipas’ self-belief has been growing all month long. The Greek trails in their head-to-head record 6-2 to Nadal but he has beaten the Spaniard on this surface, and in Spain, with a three-set victory at the 2019 Madrid Masters. The Australian Open five-set slog earlier this year looked to be a watershed moment for Tsitsipas and but he will have to cope with the pressure of a final here, with Nadal winning both of their finals played including here in Barcelona in 2018. Three years on, though, Tsitsipas has matured and still has some maturing left to do. Because it is Rafa on clay, in Spain, it is hard to even contemplate a straight-sets win for the Greek but that could be a bold move here. Instead, an outright win for the best player on tour right now, Stefanos Tsitsipas, looks a reasonable outcome.
