This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/23/rafael-nadal-crashes-out-barcelona-open-fabio-fognini

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Sorry - this page has been removed. Rafael Nadal floored by Fabio Fognini in Barcelona as stuttering year continues
(about 2 months later)
This could be because it launched early, our rights have expired, there was a legal issue, or for another reason. Rafael Nadal’s bid to get back to top form before the French Open suffered a setback when he crashed to a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) defeat by the 13th-seeded Italian, Fabio Fognini, in the third round of the Barcelona Open. The world No4 produced an erratic performance on the clay in the Catalan capital and the big-hitting Fognini punished the eight-times champion’s errors.
Fognini, who beat Nadal on clay in the semi-finals in Rio de Janeiro in February, said he had needed to draw on his mental strength to see out the match. Backed by a fiercely partisan crowd, Nadal saved three match points in the tie-break before sending a forehand long to hand Fognini victory.
For further information, please contact: “Unless you play at your highest level against Rafa for the whole match you are not going to get the better of him,” Fognini told Spanish television. “Beating a player who is the greatest in history on this surface is worth double. I knew I had my chances today and I just tried to keep to my game plan and give it my all.”
Nadal, whose 2014 season was hindered by illness and injury, is looking to rediscover his dominance on the red dust before he makes a bid for a record-extending 10th French Open crown starting at the end of next month. He lost to the world No1, Novak Djokovic, in the semi-finals of last week’s Monte Carlo Masters and many are tipping the Serb to end his great rival’s stranglehold at Roland Garros.
Fognini will play the unseeded Spaniard Pablo Andújar in Friday’s quarter-finals. Andújar upset his compatriot and fifth seed, Feliciano López, 6-3, 6-4 earlier on Thursday.
On the other side of the draw, the defending champion and top seed, Kei Nishikori of Japan, eased past Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-1 and will play Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the last four.