Tsitsipas, Alcaraz, Ruud Lead Nadal-Less Barcelona
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The Barcelona title will be up for grabs. With 12-time champion Rafael Nadal still recovering from a rib injury, someone will win their first Barcelona title come Sunday.
Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas is the odds-on favorite. The Greek is a 2-time Barcelona finalist losing both times to Nadal, last year in a thriller 7-5 in the third.
Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz has given his Spanish fans hopes of tennis success post-Rafa. The 18-year-old Alcaraz stumbled in his clay opener last week, but is the best chance for Spain to keep the title in country.
Casper Ruud, who lost to Alcaraz in the Miami final, is in the 48-man field along with Felix Auger-Aliassime, Pablo Carreno Busta, Cameron Norrie and Grigor Dimitrov.
Tsitsipas could face Monte Carlo semifinalist Dimitrov in the third round, then Alcaraz in the quarters then Norrie, Alex De Minaur or Albert Ramos Vinolas in the semifinals.
In the bottom half, Ruud is seeded second with a Diego Schwartzman his projected semifinal opponent.
Ruud could get Alexander Bublik in the third round and then Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarters. Schwartzman might see Dan Evans in his third round with Sebastian Korda, Auger-Aliassime or Frances Tiafoe in the last eight.
Lorenzo Musetti has already advanced to the second round after a good win today over Sebastian Baez.
The Top 16 seeds get byes.
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