ARTICLES:

• Nadal, Nishikori Launch Barcelona In Style (via ATP World Tour)

He is set to open his campaign at this ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tournament against either Paolo Lorenzi or Nicolas Almagro. Should it be former World No. 9 Almagro, Nadal is only too aware of the challenge the former Barcelona finalists poses. “Almagro is a great player and always a dangerous opponent,” said Nadal in a press conference. “I have to try to find my way, but it will be difficult against Nico.”

• Nadal: The first round is uncomfortable, Nico is a dangerous rival (via Barcelona Open)

The Mallorcan, who reached the semi-finals in Monte Carlo, is satisfied with his start to the European clay court season and happy to be in Barcelona, playing a tournament “he loves.”

• Nadal: Barcelona critical to overall success (via tennis.com)

The clay specialist lost in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters to Novak Djokovic on Saturday, but says that competition had been the most positive week of the year so far and the match had given him ”confidence and security.” Nadal says Barcelona is too important to him to be considered simply as training for Paris.

• Nadal: “En juego, concentración y tranquilidad me siento mucho mejor” (via El Pais)

“Cuando vuelves tras año tan accidentado como el mío, quieres ganar desde el primer momento. Y eso te genera ansiedad. No funciona así. Hay un proceso de recuperación que es inevitable. En Montecarlo me he sentido bien y tranquilo. Tenísticamente, estoy bastante mejor que hace unas semanas. El resto ya se verá”.

• “Rafa Nadal can win Roland Garros” (via Marca)

“I believe, I really believe, that if we continue as we are, that Rafael´s level is good enough to win Roland Garros“, Toni Nadal told Spanish TV station Canal +. “Rafael will be fit enough to battle for it, because of the level I’ve been watching him play at. The only thing missing is to be able to keep up that level of play over a long time… I think he can very definitely compete for Roland Garros. That court is good to us”, added Toni Nadal.

• More Time On Grass As Nadal Chooses Stuttgart And Queen’s (via Wimbledon)

What do the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011 have in common for Rafael Nadal? They are years he won Roland Garros. They are also years he has played in a Wimbledon final. And they are also the years he prepared for The Championships at The Queen’s Club. Four years after his last significant chance at the Wimbledon title, Nadal will once again compete at Queen’s in the build-up to Wimbledon. And before that, at Stuttgart too, as the new three-week gap welcomes the German event to the grass court calendar for the first time.

• Rafael Nadal is still the ‘King of Clay’ says Greg Rusedski (via Sky Sports)

“Djokovic has to win the French before we can say we have a new ‘King of Clay’ and the best player always wins in a three out of five set match so until Djokovic does that Rafa is still the king. “Nadal will go deep in Barcelona and don’t be surprised if he wins that event and then after that you’re going to have Rome and Madrid, so he’s going to build nicely. … “All those Rafa fans out there – don’t worry – he’s getting better week in, week out.”

• Monte Carlo Masters – 10 Talking Points (via Wimbledon)

Is Rafa back? … He also managed, in a very Rafa like manner, to battle through a duo of gruelling three-set matches with John Isner and David Ferrer last week. So questions will still hang over Nadal’s potential, but Monte Carlo certainly proved he is back on the right dirt track. 

• Slide-Back Saturday: Rafael Nadal, King of Kings (via The Tennis Island)

What’s so tough about Nadal on clay? When you’re at the mercy of Nadal’s forehand and offensive repertoire, there’s not much you can do. When you finally begin to play offense, there’s only so much you can do, before you’re suddenly playing defense again, or have lost the point.

PHOTOS:

• Rafael Nadal’s first practice in Barcelona (April 19)
• Rafael Nadal practicing in Barcelona (April 20)
• Day 1 (via Barcelona Open)

VIDEOS:

• Monte-Carlo 2015 Top Hot Shots (via ATP World Tour)
• 2015 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters Summary: Story of the Tournament (via TennisTV)
• Entrevista A Albert Costa – Banco Sabadell (via Barcelona Open)
• Barcelona Open 2015: Rafael Nadal Pre-Tournament Press Conference (via Banco Sabadell)
• Nadal: “Dar continuidad a Montecarlo me llevará a mi mejor nivel” (via rtve.es)
• Nadal and Nishikori play mini-tennis in Barcelona (via ATP World Tour)