Rafael Nadal is set to return to action for just his second tournament this year.
After making his comeback in Brisbane at the start of the season following a year out, there have been several false starts for Nadal due to injury issues.
He missed the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, but is now set to play in Barcelona, making his first clay appearance since he won the 2022 French Open.
When is Nadal playing his opening match? Who is he playing? And what’s happened to him so far this year? We run through everything you need to know about Nadal’s much-anticipated clay return…
When is Nadal playing in Barcelona?
Nadal will play his first-round match in Barcelona on Tuesday, April 16.
It has not been confirmed yet what time the match will take place, but Nadal is almost certain to play on the main court, which has been named after him since 2017.
Who is Nadal playing and what’s his draw?
Nadal, a 12-time champion in Barcelona, has been drawn to face 21-year-old Flavio Cobolli in the first round.
It will be the first meeting between the pair on the ATP Tour.
The winner will face fourth seed Alex de Minaur in the second round.
Nadal is unseeded as he is ranked at No. 644 in the world and is using his protected ranking to enter the main draw.
Nadal: I’m enjoying being here
Nadal’s return to the tour this year has not gone as planned.
It started positively in Brisbane as he reached the quarter-finals and had match points to beat Jordan Thompson before losing in three sets.
But since then his comeback has repeatedly stalled.
A muscle injury suffered in the defeat to Thompson forced Nadal to withdraw from the Australian Open and he then pulled out of the Qatar Open in February with a back problem.
He was aiming to return in Indian Wells and looked on course after facing Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition event in Las Vegas.
However, he pulled out of Indian Wells, saying he was not “ready to play at the highest level at such an important event”.
“I can’t lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans,” he added.
The injury struggles continued as he pulled out of Monte Carlo. “My body just won’t allow it,” he said on social media.
It has been reported that one of the main issues for Nadal is pain when serving.
Nadal was cautious about his chances of playing in Barcelona, but is set to start his clay season as he builds up to the French Open and the Paris Olympics, which are played at Roland-Garros in the summer.
“I’m happy to be here, of course, Barcelona is a place that has brought me a great deal of joy, and where I have spent periods of my life,” said Nadal.
“[Real Club] Tenis Barcelona is my club, I’m really enjoying being here for a few days. Over the last two years I’ve had very few days on tour, so spending days here, seeing people, being able to practise with players is a joy.”
Nadal’s opening match in Barcelona will be his first competitive contest on clay since he beat Casper Ruud in the final of the 2022 French Open.
The serve will clearly be an area to watch to see if it is giving Nadal any problems, but Uncle Toni suggested his nephew would not play an event unless he was “100 per cent”.
Nadal has a 66-4 win-loss record in Barcelona, which is an ATP 500 event.