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Barcelona Open: Upsets, Updates, and Predictions

By Harry Floyd

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 25: Dominic Thiem of Austria plays a forehand against Jaume Munar of Spain during the round of 16 match on day two of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell at Real Club De Tenis Barcelona on April 25, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 25: Dominic Thiem of Austria plays a forehand against Jaume Munar of Spain during the round of 16 match on day two of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell at Real Club De Tenis Barcelona on April 25, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) /
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Action at the 2019 Barcelona Open enters the quarterfinals this week. Here’s a look at there round of 16 and who’s still alive.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal is right where he’s supposed to be at the Barcelona Open. The King of Clay is rebounding from his performance at the Monte Carlo Masters and is once again making a run at the title. Nadal is an 11-time champion in men’s singles at the Barcelona Open and he reaches the quarters this year. Rafa defeats fellow countryman David Ferrer with ease, winning 6-3, 6-3 to take on Jan-Lennard Struff next.

The German tennis player is coming off of a MASSIVE upsets in the round of 16. Struff knocks out the fifth seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, winning a hard-fought three-set match. His quarterfinals meeting with Nadal will require his very best tennis.

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Another huge upset comes to former ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian tennis star is ousted by Nicolás Jarry of Chile in three sets. Jarry takes on the seventh seeded Daniil Medvedev next. The seventh seed is coming off of a straight set win over American Mackenzie McDonald in the round of 16.

In a star-studded meeting, Japanese tennis great Kei Nishikori dispels up and coming Canadian tennis star Felix Auger Aliassime. Nishikori will take on Roberto Carballés Baena in the quarterfinals. Carballés Baena defeats Christian Garín in straight sets to setup a tough matchup with Nishikori.

The final quarters meeting is between Austrian tennis star and clay court stud Dominic Thiem and Guido Pella. Both players are coming off of straight set victories. So, who is the favorite moving forward? The obvious answer is Nadal of course. But Thiem and Nishikori are right behind him. Others have stepped up their game this past week at the Barcelona Open and they will need to utilize any and all momentum they’ve gathered.

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We like Nadal, Thiem, Nishikori, and will take Jarry for the minor upset over Medvedev. No matter what happens next at the Barcelona Open, the semifinals are sure to feature some of the very best in men’s singles tennis. All are keeping an eye on Rafa right now. Stay tuned to see how the action unfolds as we head into the weekend.

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