World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and Alexandr Dolgopolov with cross paths once again on the professional tour in what is scheduled to be their sixth meeting to date. The Nadal vs Dolgopolov head-to-head stands at 5-1, yet they have not met since the Indian Wells tournament, which took place last season.

After losing just his second match ever at the French Open last week, Rafael Nadal fought valiantly all week in Stuttgart to arrive in a final against Viktor Troicki. While he needed three sets at various points throughout the week, he managed to claim the title following a straight sets victory. He won the match 7-6(3), 6-3 to earn his third title at the Mercedes Cup. It was his first title on grass since the 2010 Wimbledon Championships.

“It’s a very special title,” said Nadal. “Since 2011 I didn’t play a final on grass, so win a title here is very good news for my game and for my mentality too. Congrats to Viktor for a great tournament. He’s playing great and will have some positives for the week.

“At this point of the season, every victory is important and every title means a lot to me. I’m happy for that… Thank you very much for all the support here in Stuttgart.”

Nadal will come up against Alexandr Dolgopolov, who is coming off a opening round loss to Philipp Kohlschreiber at the Mercedes Cup.

This marks the sixth time these two competitors will meet on the professional tour, with Nadal leading the series with a 5-1 score. The first and last wins came on clay, while the remaining ones took place on hard courts. However, Dolgopolov actually won their most recent encounter at Indian Wells. While this may be the case, Dolgopolov is not as capable on grass courts and will likely not put up the same fight here.