Rafael Nadal set for sharp ranking rise despite only one match won in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal climbed more than 100 positions in the ATP Ranking despite his second-round exit at the ATP 500 Barcelona Open. The 22-times Grand Slam champion played his second tournament of the year and secured a comfortable victory in the first round against Flavio Cobolli, but he struggled against an impeccable Alex De Minaur in the following round.

His second-round departure from the tournament marks his worst performance in Barcelona since 2003 when he also exited in the second round at just 16 years old. Subsequently, Nadal went on to win the title 12 times and boasts a record of 67-5 (93%), making him the most dominant player in the Count of Godó Tournament.

The former world No. 1 only competed in one tournament in 2023, the Australian Open, which led to his gradual decline in the rankings. In March 2023, following the conclusion of Indian Wells, Nadal fell out of the top 10 for the first time since 2005 after 912 weeks. Since then, Nadal has only experienced drops in the rankings and started 2024 at world No. 672.

His participation in the Brisbane International briefly returned him to the top 500 (No. 446), but after withdrawing from the first Grand Slam of the year (and several subsequent tournaments), he once again dropped in the rankings. His victory in the first round in Barcelona earned him 25 points, moving him from world No. 645 to No. 512, almost back into the top 500.

The 37-year-old tennis player now awaits his participation in the Madrid Open, where he entered with his protected ranking. Nadal is the all-time leader with five titles in the tournament. In Madrid, he will earn 10 points if he falls in the first round, guaranteeing his return to the top 500, and if he secures just one victory, he will rise between No. 450 and 400.