The 20-time Major champion Rafael Nadal had to work hard to claim the 12th Barcelona Open title, losing a set against Ilya Ivashka and Kei Nishikori and fending off a match point against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
Facing one of the ultimate challenges on clay in the previous ten years, Rafa toppled the young Greek 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 after three hours and 38 minutes, celebrating in the longest best-of-three finals since the ATP started to track the stats in 1991! Tsitsipas claimed the title in Monte Carlo without losing a set and repeated that in Barcelona in the opening four matches, hoping to stun Rafa for the second time on the slowest surface.
The Greek had an early lead in set one and that match point at 5-4 in the decider, wasting it and dropping the last three games to hand the title to the home favorite on the court that already carries Rafael Nadal's name.
As always, the champion celebrated the title by jumping into a pool, feeling mighty relieved for winning the title after an early exit in Monte Carlo last week, especially after saving that match point.