Topic: ATP - 500 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell - 21-29 April 2012

[conchita]

Nice presentation of the tournament.
 
Does pista mean dirt or clay?

thanks!
pista in spain, quadra in brazil and portugal, cancha in latin america, campo in italy = court in french and english

[conchita]

I just read this:

Former world No. 5 Tommy Robredo will have surgery on his left thigh next week, the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell announced. "It will most probably take me a couple of months to get back on track," said Robredo, the 2004 Barcelona champion. "If the surgery goes well, I will play in Monte Carlo and Barcelona."

Didn't make it back for MC. Barcelona? Hopefully Madrid.

thank you so much for the update, hope the surgery goes well and he is finally back in action. I missed him a lot.

[conchita]

wow, beautiful pictures Conchita. Thank you. Do you live in Barcelona? Sorry I forgot  .

did not forget you live in Alberta but can't remember if it is Calgary or Edmonton.
I live in Barcelona, some 20 minutes walking and into the club.
in fact my school, lycee français de barcelona was just at the other side of the street, opposite of RCTB main entrance.
we saw the matches for free at the top of the builiding of the school, mid 80's, mid 90's.
we talked with the players, so many! when they were leaving the RCTB and had a lot of fun.
they also came to the school to teach us how to hit a ball well. funny!
great memories. wonderful
that's the origin and main reason about my love to the sport of tennis. 

[Babblelot]

I just read this:

Former world No. 5 Tommy Robredo will have surgery on his left thigh next week, the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell announced. "It will most probably take me a couple of months to get back on track," said Robredo, the 2004 Barcelona champion. "If the surgery goes well, I will play in Monte Carlo and Barcelona."

Didn't make it back for MC. Barcelona? Hopefully Madrid.

thank you so much for the update, hope the surgery goes well and he is finally back in action. I missed him a lot.

I should add, that was from February, so hopefully he'll be back soon 

[swish]

Nice presentation of the tournament.
 
Does pista mean dirt or clay?

thanks!
pista in spain, quadra in brazil and portugal, cancha in latin america, campo in italy = court in french and english

Now that you told me it should have been obvious.
 
A lot of really nice information you have presented.

[Alex]

wow, beautiful pictures Conchita. Thank you. Do you live in Barcelona? Sorry I forgot  .

did not forget you live in Alberta but can't remember if it is Calgary or Edmonton.
I live in Barcelona, some 20 minutes walking and into the club.
in fact my school, lycee français de barcelona was just at the other side of the street, opposite of RCTB main entrance.
we saw the matches for free at the top of the builiding of the school, mid 80's, mid 90's.
we talked with the players, so many! when they were leaving the RCTB and had a lot of fun.
they also came to the school to teach us how to hit a ball well. funny!
great memories. wonderful
that's the origin and main reason about my love to the sport of tennis.

I live in Calgary. So, are you planning to visit the tournament this year? Gosh, I wish we had an ATP tournament in Calgary (but most people here care only about hockey..., you are so lucky. I'm kinda hoping to go to Rogers cup in Montreal or Toronto one day  but it's so hard with work and everything else. You are so lucky you live in Barcelona.

[conchita]

I live in Calgary. So, are you planning to visit the tournament this year? Gosh, I wish we had an ATP tournament in Calgary (but most people here care only about hockey..., you are so lucky. I'm kinda hoping to go to Rogers cup in Montreal or Toronto one day  but it's so hard with work and everything else. You are so lucky you live in Barcelona.

I will only go on saturday for the 1st round of qualies and probably not on sunday. then I can't go during weekdays because of work and for the semis and finals, thanks not, it looks like the Opera, so elitist. the cheapest ticket is 50 euros, while for the qualies only 10 euros. I also hope to visit one day Canada, there's a reputation here about canadians as the most likable, polite people in the world, I would rather go to Montreal than Toronto, but I like Ontario also a lot.
I know hockey night in Canada and Don Cherry, the small wta event in Quebec city is still alive, a big miracle.
the fact that you have the big Rogers Cup makes it difficult to have a smaller event in another place like Vancouver or Calgary. then you need some stars, hope Raonic will become a great player, I followed last year Davis Cup tie in israel with Pospisil and Milos and there was a very big passion in the canadian broadcast.   

[conchita]

Mats Wilander: Nadal is unbeatable on clay in five sets (Mat's is for sure... the biggest fan of Nadal)

As tennis expert for TV channel Eurosport, former World No.1 Mats Wilander still follows the tennis circuit closely, commentating the four Grand Slam tournaments for TV channel Eurosport. During his brilliant career, the Swede won seven major titles (3 Australian Open, 3 French Open and US Open) and the Wimbledon doubles crown. Reaching him over the phone in South Africa, he analyzed the two top seeds (Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray) of next month’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell for our website.
 
The three time champion of the Trofeo Conde de Godó (now Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell) is sure that Spain’s Nadal is the hot favorite to claim his seventh Barcelona title this year. “Rafa is the king of clay. Winning six titles at one tournament is out of this world, an incredible achievement,” he told tournament organizers.

 

“Nadal is the man to beat at any clay-court tournament. He feels at home on the surface and runs a full marathon every match. I think that he is unbeatable on clay in five sets,” said Wilander.
 
Spain’s World No.2 could face second seed Murray in this year’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell final. The Scot is now coached by Wilander’s long term rival Ivan Lendl. “Andy is a great player and he definitely has a shot at any title. His decision to work with Lendl will definitely take him further. Now he needs to impress a former World No. 1 and not only his mother. Lendl will not be impressed by wins, he wants titles,” analyzed the tennis legend.
 
“It’s great that Rafa and Andy both play the tournament. It makes it exciting for the tennis fans in Barcelona. They would be happy about a close match and not just an easy win for Nadal,” he added.


 
Wilander was successful at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona in 1980, 81 and 82. Next to Nadal, he is only one of two players to win the tournament three consecutive times, although the Spaniard clinched five successive trophies.

The entire interview with Mats Wilander will be published in the Official Program of the 60th tournament anniversary, to be held from 21 to 29 April.

[conchita]

Verdasco, Almagro and Robredo to lead Dunlop Tennis Clinic



Spain’s tennis stars Nicolás Almagro and Fernando Verdasco will lead the Dunlop Tennis Clinic during the qualifiers of the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Sunday, 22 April. The two players will be joined by 2004 Trofeo Conde de Godó champion Tommy Robredo, who will give a tennis lesson although he cannot play the tournament due to a leg injury.
 


The ATP stars will be practicing with the tennis offspring (Dunlop D Squad) and young players from all over Catalunya will also be invited to join the tennis master class. As on previous occasions, participants will take part in raffles hoping to win some of the great tennis prizes.



This year’s news is that four tennis fans will also have the chance to hit some balls with the three stars. All they have to do is catch one of the balls at the right time.
 
Apart from the clinic, the young players will be invited to watch the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell qualifiers, to be held on 21 and 22 April. Dunlop’s Fort Clay Court will be the official tennis ball of the tournament for the third year.

[conchita]

Rising stars set eyes on Barcelona challenge



three of the hottest young up-and-comers in the men’s game will participate at this year’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Canada’s Milos Raonic will return to the Real Club Tenis Barcelona after their first appearance in 2011 while Australia’s player Bernard Tomic will celebrate his debut at the ATP World Tour 500 Event this year.
 
They are between 19 and 22-years-old and have the talent and skills to become future Top 10 players of the ATP World Tour. One of the young guns, World No. 26 Raonic, faces a home game as he lives and trains in Barcelona. In 2012 he has won two titles, in Chennai beating World No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic and reclaiming his San Jose crown in California.


 
Nishikori has one title to his name (Delray Beach, 2008) and has reached his career high in the ATP World Ranking this season, after the World No. 16 made it to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, losing to Scot Andy Murray.



Raonic and Nishikori are set to improve their performance at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Last year, both players
reached the round of the last 16. 22-year-old Nishikori lost to Spain’s Feliciano López while Canada’s rising star got defeated by Croatia’s Ivan Dodig.
 
World No. 36 Tomic, the youngest of the three youngsters, still looks to claim his first ATP title, although he achieved some brilliant results this season. In Brisbane (semi-final) and the Australian Open (quarter-final) big names like Murray and Roger Federer had to dismiss him respectively.
 
The two big servers Raonic and Tomic (both 1,96m tall) and Nishikori with his fast game and a top forehand are set to take on experienced clay-court specialists such Spaniards Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer at the 60th anniversary of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

[conchita]

Tournament pays tribute to Ivan Lendl



ournament organizers of the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell will pay tribute to Ivan Lendl for winning the Trofeo Conde de Godó on two occasions in 1980 and 1981. The former World No. 1 (270 weeks) is considered one of the best players of all time, especially dominant in the 1980’s.
 
The tribute will take place on the Pista Central at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona on Thursday, 26 April (third round of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell).
 
Lendl, who will return to Barcelona as coach of World No. 4 Andy Murray, is one of the big highlights of the 60th tournament anniversary. Since he started to work with Murray, the Scot has claimed one ATP World Tour title in Brisbane and dismissed World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Dubai.

Originally from Czechoslovakia, Lendl reached at least one Grand Slam final for eleven consecutive years and won eight major trophies: Roland Garros (3 titles), US Open (2) and Australian Open (2).

[conchita]

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell players win 50 percent of all tournaments

(the article doesn't include Monaco who has pulled out of the event and won in Viña del Mar)



Seven players that will play the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell have already claimed an ATP title this season. In total, ten of twenty tournaments were won by a player that signed up for the ATP World Tour 500 Event to be held in Barcelona from 21 to 29 April. Spain’s David Ferrer is the most successful tennis star this season with three titles to his name: Auckland, Buenos Aires and Acapulco.
 
Nicolas Almagro is the second Spaniard that has claimed a title in 2012 (Sao Paulo), beating Ferrer in the final. In Acapulco, the World No. 5 faced Fernando Verdasco in another all-Spanish final.
 
Ferrer lost his two quarter-finals at the Australian Open and the Masters 1000 event in Miami against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who has clinched two titles this sesason, same as youngster Milos Raonic. The Canadian, who is getting ready for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, was successful in Chennai and San Jose. Andy Murray (Brisbane), Tomas Berdych (Montpellier) and Jarrko Nieminen (Sydney) have claimed one title each this year.
 
Same as last year, when he won the Monte Carlo crown, Spain’s Rafael Nadal still seeks to clinch his first title in 2012. Nadal’s last title dates back to Roland Garros in 2011.

[swish]

Lendl has been one of my favorites for years, he's underrated IMO.
So glad to see he's getting some attention.
 
Now that he's Andy's coach maybe people will recognize the amazing career he had.
 
 
Also he was as close to an emotionless robot as anyone.
 
 

[conchita]

Sergi Bruguera to collaborate with Amics de la Gent Gran

(probably the next spaniard in the HOF, L'equipe invented the term armada because of him)




Two-time Roland Garros champion Sergi Bruguera will collaborate with the foundation Amics de la Gent Gran to raise funds during the first days of the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. A stand for humanitarian purposes will be set up at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona, featuring different foundations and organizations from all over Catalonia and Spain.
 
Amics de la Gent Gran will install the humanitarian stand during the qualifiers and the first day of the main draw, on 21, 22 and 23 April. Visitors of the stand can win a Master Tennis class with former pro Bruguera.
 
The Catalan association was coined 25 years ago and seeks to improve the life of the older generation, fighting against the loneliness and marginalization of older people.
 
Very popular in Catalonia, Bruguera will commentate the match action at Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell as tennis expert for Televesió de Catalunya (TV3), which will broadcast the tournament on the specialty channel Esports 3.

[conchita]

Lendl has been one of my favorites for years, he's underrated IMO.
So glad to see he's getting some attention.
 
Now that he's Andy's coach maybe people will recognize the amazing career he had.
 
 
Also he was as close to an emotionless robot as anyone.

I don't think he is underrated, he reached a record 9 consecutive USO finals. enough said.
he didn't show feelings playing and that made him unpopular but he had quite strong emotional reactions from time to time.
one against compatriot Mecir is a classic.

[conchita]

Daniel Nestor to set eyes on fifth doubles title



Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Max Mirnyi from Belarus are the top favorites to claim the doubles title at the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, to be held from 23 to 29 April at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona. Nestor is aiming his fifth doubles title at the ATP World Tour 500 Event.
 
Although the entry list for the tournament doubles is still open, the World No. 3 double Nestor/Mirnyi are among the top favorites to claim the Barcelona crown. They have clinched two ATP titles in 2012 (Brisbane and Memphis) and finished runner-up at the recent Miami Masters, losing Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek in a close final (10-8 in the third set).
 
Together they are 73 years old and won the most important doubles titles on the tour. Nestor claimed four Barcelona crowns, two with Mark Knowles from Bahama (2004 and 2006) and two with Serbia’s Nenad Zimonjic in 2009 and 2010.
 
Nestor seeks to win his fifth title in Barcelona. In the history of the tournament, counting the singles and doubles competition, only three players have a better all-time record: Australia’s Roy Emerson with ten titles (three singles and seven doubles), Spain’s Rafael Nadal with six (all singles) and his countryman Manuel Orantes with five (three and two).
 
Last year, Nestor and Mirnyi reached the semi-finals at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, losing to the eventual champions Santiago Gonzalez and Scott Lipsky. Gonzalez will return to the Catalan capital this year, teaming up with Germany’s Christopher Kas.

[conchita]

Bryan twins to participate at Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell

(quite a tradion for the future HOFers to celebrate birthday during the event, this year is on finals day-sunday)



the twins Bob and Mike Bryan will participate in the doubles competition at the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. The American brothers are considered the world’s best double since they became World No. 1 in 2005. At the Real Club Tenis Barcelona, they will face fierce competition with the World No. 3 pair Daniel Nestor and Max Mirnyi.
 
 Champions in 2003 and 2008, the Bryans missed out on their third Barcelona title last year, losing against Mexico’s Santiago Gonzalez and American Scott Lipsky in a thriller final. At the 2012 Australian Open, the Bryans were also defeated in the final, this time by India’s Leander Paes and Czech Radek Stepanek.
 
Spain’s Davis Cup team will keep a close eye on the Bryan twins at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. The Spanish Armada will take on the US team in the semi-final after beating Austria and France respectively last weekend.

[conchita]

Andy Murray seeks to become first British player to claim Barcelona title

(those crazy nights for Andy as a teen in thr city, he even probably met another legend teen Ivanovic)



Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell second seed Andy Murray seeks to become the first British player in history to win the prestigious clay-court tournament. In 59 editions, players from 17 countries have claimed the title at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona. Spain leads the ranking with 21 trophies, followed by Sweden with 8 crowns, USA (six), Australia (four) and former Czechoslovakia (three).

Scot Murray, who has clinched one title this year, in Brisbane, only misses the Barcelona trophy in his collection, having won the other two ATP World Tour events in Madrid (2008) and Valencia (2009).

Murray is more efficient in United States, where he won five of 22 career titles: two in Cincinnati, two in San Jose and one in Miami.

More players can clinch the first title for their country at the 60th anniversary of the Trofeo Conde de Godó – Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. World No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic is set to put Serbia in the champions table, while Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Canada’s Milos Raonic also seek to win the tournament

13 different players have claimed the 21 Barcelona titles for host country Spain. World No. 2 holds the all time record, followed by tennis legends Manuel Orantes (three titles) and Manolo Santana (two), who will be honored at this year’s tournament for his first title achieved 50 years ago.

[conchita]

Creating tennis, the new video of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell

(nice glimpse at the beginninng of my fav. courts, 1-2 that become show court 1 during the event, what kind of music of this)



less than two weeks ahead of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell tournament host Real Club Tenis Barcelona is getting ready for the ATP World Tour 500 Event. Check out the video to see the transformation of the club in order to create a great tennis tournament

video:

Construyendo el tenis

[conchita]

Great tennis atmosphere all over Barcelona





Tennis is in the air all over Barcelona and the Real Club Tenis Barcelona is set to host one of the best ATP World Tour 500 events of the year. The new Center Court and a top entry list featuring five Top 10 players will guarantee a spectacular 60th tournament anniversary.
 
 
Tennis fans can take notice of the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell in the city center. The biggest symbol of the tournament is the huge poster set up at the building of title sponsor Banc Sabadell.
 
Over 900 flags and 90 banners have been distributed all over the Catalan capital to promote the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, to be held from 23 to 29 April (qualifiers start on the 21st).
 
Don’t miss out on the world’s best tennis players at this year’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and get your ticket now. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych and Janko Tipsarevic are only five of many top players that will participate at the historic tournament.