From title matches with Nadal to the tournament office! Ferrer’s Barcelona story

David Ramos/Getty Images

It has been five years since fans at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell witnessed David Ferrer’s prowess on the clay of the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899 for the last time. Perhaps nobody would have guessed at that moment that the former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings would soon become the tournament director of the ATP 500.

Some would say it was written in the stars that Ferrer’s 2019 farewell as a player at the event came in a match against Rafael Nadal, the most decorated Barcelona champion of them all with 12 crowns. Nadal was also the very opponent that prevented Ferrer from getting his hands on the Conde de Godó trophy in as many as four finals.

In 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012, the final on the Catalan clay was the same: Nadal vs. Ferrer. The result was also unchanging.

“In the end, I lost all those finals, but maybe the one in 2011 was the match where I had the best chance of winning,” Ferrer told ATPTour.com. “In 2008 I lost in three sets, but I think I was a long way away from beating Rafa.”

_{^{David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal at the trophy ceremony for the 2012 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images}}

Due to the Balearic Islander’s dominance in Barcelona this century, the centre court now bears his name. Nadal was not only an immovable object for Ferrer — he presented the same problem for all the other contenders in Barcelona.

The current tournament director Ferrer was on the receiving end of his compatriot’s brilliance in as many as eight finals, including at Roland Garros (2013), the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome (2010) and Monte Carlo (2011). However, Ferrer only sees the positives in his rivalry with Nadal.

“At least one Godó,” joked the Alicante native Ferrer when asked how many titles he would have without Nadal. “Rafa made me a better player, without a doubt. He made me more ambitious and made me want to improve and develop my game. I saw that in him, and Rafa being such a special player made me want to copy things from him that helped me become a more consistent player.”

Besides his four Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes with Nadal in Barcelona finals, Ferrer has a long history at the tournament he now directs. He played in the event a total of 15 times, the first dating back to 2003, when he had just turned 21.

“I remember my debut against Albert Portas on Court 1, because it’s a tournament that I’d dreamed of playing in since I was six years old, when I would go with my parents to watch my idols play at Godó,” remembered the Alicante native. “I also remember the affection the Barcelona fans and the RCTB club always had for me.”

Now, without a racquet in his hand, he still feels that love at a tournament that has become his office. His experience as a player comes in very useful in his role as the Director of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

“I’d say that the change from player to director, on a personal level, is very gratifying,” he said. “You learn to see how a tournament is run and the huge amount of work behind it. Working as a team and seeing how professional the people are that work to put on a one-week tournament, where they work throughout the year to take care of the finest of details.

“When you’re a player, you’re not aware of everything that goes on behind the scenes at a tournament, so that you have everything you need in order to play. That’s normal, players are only focused on their tennis and their daily lives.”

Everything is in place for the 71st edition of the tournament, which takes place from 15-21 April.

“My role is to make sure the players feel at home and that the courts, the transport, hotels, the facilities for the families, and the schedules are as good as possible for them, even though a lot of factors play into it,” said Ferrer. “Because the tournament itself, television, and the fans all have their separate interests.

“In the end, you learn to deal with all of that. It’s a job where I feel very grateful for the opportunity to learn about another field.”

In 2024, Ferrer will welcome a star-packed line-up that includes Nadal himself, defending two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz (2022-23), Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Andrey Rublev, among others. Quite the cast!

Editor’s note: This story has been translated from ATPTour.com/es.