David Ferrer is often touted as one of the greatest Spanish players ever. While Ferrer was unable to win even a single Grand Slam, he did win 27 ATP titles and bagged a staggering $31,483,911 in prize money. However, he could’ve added another $557,937 to the total amount had it not been for the four finals losses at the Barcelona Open.
David Ferrer never got his hands on the Barcelona Open title despite making four trips to the finals. He was unfortunate to face Rafael Nadal, regarded as the “King of Clay”, on each of those four occasions.
Ferrer made his first finals appearance at the ATP 500 tournament in 2008. Playing against Nadal, who already won three consecutive Barcelona Open titles, David gave the “Raging Bull” a run for his money. Ultimately, Nadal won the encounter 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. Rafa was awarded $151,981 for the win, whereas, his countryman only received $79,949.
Over the next four years, barring the Barcelona Open 2010, Ferrer made it to the finals on each of the occasions. In all three of these ties, Rafael Nadal put up a dominant display and won the clashes without even dropping a single set. Totally, Nadal received $978,066 and Ferrer was the recipient of $572,110 in prize money.
Today, David Ferrer is the director of the Barcelona Open 2024. On the other hand, Rafael Nadal is aiming to make a return to the tournament after skipping the Monte Carlo Masters. Nadal has not played in Barcelona since 2022. In the last 2 years, Carlos Alcaraz has taken over Rafael Nadal as the man to beat in the Barcelona Open, winning back-to-back titles.
Here’s a list of the winner’s prize money and the money David Ferrer missed out on:
2008
Prize money for Nadal – $151,981
Prize money Ferrer received – $79,949
Missed out on – $72,032
2009
Prize money for Nadal – $318,904
Prize money Ferrer received – $160,567
Missed out on – $158,337
2011
Prize money for Nadal – $323,365
Prize money Ferrer received– $162,519
Missed out on – $160,846
2012
Prize money for Nadal – $335,797
Prize money Ferrer received – $169,075
Missed out on – $166,722
(Prize money figures from Perfect Tennis)
