ATP Barcelona Open Tennis Betting Odds & Preview

Clay-master Nadal back for seventh Barcelona title quest

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal © GEPA pictures

ATP Barcelona Open Tennis Betting Info
It is the 60th year of the Barcelona Open at the Real Club de Tenis, which is Spain’s oldest tennis club. This is a World Tour 500 event and therefore the big players turn out for the ranking points on offer. This is the big Spanish tennis event of the calendar, and naturally a lot of home support will be heading towards Rafael Nadal. More importantly, this is a high level clay court tennis event, and with the French Open at Roland Garros on the horizon, this is the big primer for the second Grand Slam of the season. So expect a big event and look for form ahead of the Grand Slam.

ATP Barcelona Open Tennis Betting Defending Champion
Spaniard Rafael Nadal is the defending champion, as he won his crown back last year. Just out of note, Spaniards have won this event for the last nine editions so that should trend your betting on its own. Nadal’s triumph last year was his sixth Barcelona title in seven years. Nadal showed up brilliantly at Monte Carlo on the weekend, totally demolishing Novak Djokovic in the final of the event. That was his eighth Monte Carlo title, also on clay. So he is truly the master on the red stuff, without any doubt. Rafael Nadal goes as firm 2/5 Totesport favourite for the event, and with his win on the weekend, it looks as if he is going to be the main man again.

ATP Barcelona Open Tennis Betting Favourite
Well, Nadal is the outright favourite and no-one is going to step up and argue that fact. Only Nadal and Andy Murray out of the big four are in attendance this week, and they wouldn’t meet until the final. So there really is nothing too much to worry about in the draw ahead for Rafael Nadal. Janko Tipsarevic could be a possible quarter finalist, while Fernando Verdasco, who won the event in 2010, could be a semi final opponent for Nadal. But this is Nadal on clay, at a tournament which has dominated and so, clear favourite against the field.

Other Contenders
Andy Murray is back for another crack on clay after failing to make it to the business end of Monte Carlo last week. This is the fourth time he has contested Barcelona and he is only carrying a 1-3 match record into the event. That goes up against Nadal’s 30-1 record for the Barcelona Open. Not even close. Andy Murray is least comfortable on clay and doesn’t look as if he is quite ready to deliver the goods just yet either. Crashed out of Monte Carlo at the quarter final stage against Tomas Berdych in which Murray was arguing with his self and getting frustrated with his game. Don’t really expect him to go all the way and rip this title off Nadal.

Spain’s David Ferrer on the other hand, does represent good value. Ferrer has been to the final three times in the past four seasons, and like Nadal, he is another great clay court specialist Ferrer has a 21-9 match record in Barcelona, and he has to make up for a hugely disappointing early exit in Monte Carlo. All three of his final visits in Barcelona have been undone by Rafael Nadal, and they can’t meet until the final again this season. It means that Ferrer is in the same half of the draw as Andy Murray and the Spaniard should have the upper hand over the Brit on clay.

With Fernando Verdasco and Nicolas Almagro in the field, can anyone really step up and break the Spanish dominance of Barcelona? Well, would take a look at Tomas Berdych, who reached the final of Monte Carlo on the weekend, would have been worth a look, but he has withdrawn through illness. It is hard to pick out any other winner in the field really, because if Nadal doesn’t come through the top half, and Andy Murray, Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer isn’t fighting out in the bottom half, then it will be a big surprise.

Best Outside Bet
Well, anyone beyond Nadal, Murray and Ferrer is going to be an outsider. It makes Verdasco the top of the outsiders, but we should look at Janko Tipsarevic He could line up against Nadal in the quarter finals and that is about his limit at the moment. Still, a scrappy player who never stops pushing and if Nadal is tired by that point, the Tipsarevic could pounce. This is only his second visit to Barcelona, his first coming back in 2009, so no great history. Just a shot in the dark for the dark horse.

Latest ATP Barcelona Open Tennis Betting Prices
Rafael Nadal: 2/5 at BetFred
David Ferrer: 9/1 at Boylesports
Andy Murray: 10/1 at Boylesports
Nicolas Almagro: 25/1 at BetFair
Fernando Verdasco: 33/1 at Bet365
Janko Tipsarevic: 66/1 at SkyBet

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