The Barcelona Open is one of the biggest clay court events in the ATP Tour calendar every year. There haven’t been many winners over the years largely due to the dominance of Rafael Nadal. Nadal has won the tournament a record 12 times, which has denied many big names in tennis a shot at the ATP 500 title.
Even though there have been many players who have won the French Open and other clay court titles in their careers, there are those who have never managed to win the Barcelona Open.
Novak Djokovic
Considered widely as the greatest tennis player of all-time according to many tennis fans and pundits, Novak Djokovic hasn’t won the Barcelona Open. He played in the ATP 500 tournament in 2018, where he lost to Slovak player Martin Klizan in the 2nd round. Klizan beat Djokovic 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, and knocked Djokovic out in a rare first round exit.
Novak Djokovic has won the French Open three times in his career (2016, 2021, and 2023). But Barcelona is not Djokovic’s territory and it is unlikely that he would win a title here in the future. Djokovic is aiming to be selective with his participation in tournaments to maintain his fitness levels.
Roger Federer
Roger Federer has only played once in the Barcelona Open in his career, and it was way back in 2000. He was a young player back then, just starting out in the sport, and he faced his worst loss ever in this tournament. Roger Federer lost to wildcard entrant Sergi Bruguera 1-6, 1-6 in the first round of the tournament.
But Federer went on to become one of those rare players to have won the French Open, despite never winning in Barcelona. Federer beat Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 in the 2009 Roland Garros final; a rare occasion where Nadal didn’t reach the final and win.
Andre Agassi
While the likes of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer tried their luck at the Barcelona Open, Andre Agassi never played in the tournament. Agassi did go on to become a better clay court player as he grew older as he won the 1999 French Open. The American superstar famously defeated Andriy Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the final. But even then, Agassi’s stance towards the Barcelona Open did not change, which was the case with most American players in his generation and the one that followed.
Stan Wawrinka
3-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka played in the Barcelona Open and the closest he ever came to winning it was in 2008 when he reached the semifinals. But former Spanish player and now the tournament director, David Ferrer defeated him 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 to end his run.
However, Wawrinka won the 2015 French Open when he stunned the then World No.1 Novak Djokovic in the final, that too after losing the first set. The Swiss player won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
Gustavo Kuerten
Brazilian player Gustavo Kuerten won the French Open thrice, i.e. in 1997, 2000, and 2001. Kuerten was one of the best tennis players in the world around the late 1990s and early 2000s and his prowess on clay was particularly well-known. Yet, for some reason, he remains winless in the Barcelona Open.
Kuerten reached the quarterfinals in the 2003 and 2004 editions of the tournament. In the first, he lost 4-6, 4-6 to Juan Carlos Ferrero, and in 2004, he retired hurt in a match against Gaston Gaudio.
