Spanish players have been extremely successful throughout the Barcelona Open’s 73-year history.
Rafael Nadal is the most accomplished player in tournament history, having won an astonishing 12 titles at the event.
Manuel Orantes, a former US Open champion, won three titles at the event between 1969 and 1976.
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Since then, a number of Spanish tennis stars have also lifted the Barcelona title, including Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya and Tommy Robredo.
Over 65 years ago – seven years after the tournament’s inauguration – a Spaniard won the Barcelona Open for the first time.
Andres Gimeno was the first Spanish Barcelona Open champion
Andres Gimeno, born in Barcelona, became the first Spaniard to win the Barcelona Open in 1960.
Gimeno, who had turned professional that very year, defeated Italy’s Giuseppe Merlo 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in the 1960 Barcelona Open final.
Over the next 11 years, three other Spanish players won the title in Barcelona: Manuel Santana, Juan Gisbert and Manuel Orantes.
In 1972 – a year after Orantes won his second Barcelona Open title – Gimeno achieved his greatest feat on the professional circuit.
The Spaniard won the Roland Garros title, defeating France’s Patrick Proisy 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 in the final.
At 34 years, 10 months and 1 day old, Gimeno became the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion in tennis history.
Gimeno retired from his playing career in 1974, having won the 1972 Roland Garros singles title and the 1967 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles title.
In 2009, Gimeno was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Ten years later, the Spaniard sadly passed away at the age of 82.
Stan Smith [pictured below], the 1971 US Open champion, paid tribute to his former rival.
“Andres was a tireless competitor in his day,” Smith told the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“Having faced him in some big matches, including the 1972 French Open, I can vouch for that for sure.
“He was also a very smart player, very strategic. Mostly though, I’ll remember Andres as a really good guy.
“He was well liked by his peers. Whether you lost to him or you beat him, it was hard not to like Andres.”
Rafael Nadal: Andres Gimeno was one of the most important players in Spanish history
At the 2022 French Open, Rafael Nadal was looking to become the oldest men’s singles champion in tournament history, eclipsing Gimeno’s record
“I was able to meet him [Gimeno] for a lot of years,” Nadal told reporters in Paris, as per the Roland Garros website.
“I mean, he was one of the most important players in our history. Yeah, sad that he is not able to be here. In some way his legacy and his memory are going to stay with us, without a doubt.”
Nadal went on to win the title, becoming the oldest men’s champion after defeating Casper Ruud in the final.
The moment marked Nadal’s 14th and final Roland Garros title.
A year later, Novak Djokovic eclipsed Nadal’s record, winning the event while aged 36 years and 20 days.
