Good news for Spanish tennis fans: Rafael Nadal will start at the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona next year. The organizers announced this on social media. Overall, the Mallorquin will be in the Catalan capital for the 17th time.

This year Nadal had to cancel his participation in the clay court classic due to a broken rib. The Spaniard would have started in Barcelona as the defending champion, had he defeated the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2021 final in three tight sets and after defending a match point.

In total, Nadal has already accepted the title twelve times in Barcelona. Of the 70 matches played so far in Spain's second largest city, the 22-time Grand Slam winner only lost four. There was a defeat against Dominic Thiem in 2019. It is the last bankruptcy of the 36-year-old in the Catalan capital.

Nadal will face competition next year from world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who will start in Barcelona as the defending champion. The tournament will take place in 2023 from April 17th to 23rd.