Feliciano Lopez has set a new record this week at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell by becoming the first player in history to contest this ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tournament 17 times.

“Playing 17 straight years here, or 60 consecutive Grand Slams, shows that you’ve had a bit of luck with injuries to be able to have such a long career,” said Lopez. “I’ve worked hard for it. I’ve taken care of myself and it’s an honour to be here another year because for me every ‘el Godo’ is a gift.

“There aren’t many tournaments like ‘el Godo’ left, that are played in a club like this. And in my case, it’s even more special because I was brought up here,” continued the Toledo-born Lopez. “I came here when I was 13 and I feel a lot of love for the people at this club. For everyone who works here, from the people at the entrance, the serving staff, the locker room attendants. It’s very special.”

The 35-year-old Lopez, No. 40 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, had a special opening match this week when he faced another tournament veteran, Albert Montanes. It was the Catalan’s last professional match.

“These are difficult matches to play, there are lots of feelings,” said Lopez. “I tried to forget all that and focus. In the end, he said goodbye in his favourite city, at his favourite tournament, and for me it’s an honour to have been able to be part of that day.”

Next up for Lopez is a clash with World No. 1 Andy Murray, who is yet to strike a ball in Barcelona after Bernard Tomic withdrew from their second-round clash. “He’s the type of player that has a different talent to everyone else, with an incredible ability to adapt,” said Lopez. “That’s why he’s so good and why he is No. 1.

“For me it will be spectacular to play in my club against the World No. 1. It is a great match. These are the matches I keep playing tennis for.”

A handful of ATP World Tour legends have had a stadium named in their honour long after their playing days, but Rafael Nadal received that recognition while still at the top of his game at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. 

Nadal took part in a special court naming ceremony on Wednesday that officially crowned the stadium Pista Rafa Nadal. The nine-time champion also scored a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 second-round victory that day over Rogerio Dutra Silva.

“I want to thank the club for this honour. It’s one of the most important tournaments for me, one of the courts where I had the best moments of my career,” said Nadal. “This place has meant a lot to me and the club deciding to name the centre court with my name makes it even more special”.

After becoming the first man in the Open Era to win the singles title at an event on 10 occasions with his victory last week at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Nadal could replicate that feat just seven days later in Barcelona. He plays Kevin Anderson on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.

#NextGenATP players nearly went perfect on day three at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

Russian Karen Khachanov led the 21-and-under group, winning 76 per cent of his first-serve points to knock out 11^th seed Pablo Cuevas 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in one hour and 55 minutes. The 20-year-old right-hander won the final two points of the second-set tie-break to convert on his fourth match point.

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Khachanov, who trains in Barcelona, improved to 4-1 at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament after also reaching the third round last year. He will next meet fifth seed David Goffin.

South Korean qualifier Hyeon Chung set-up an-all #NextGenATP third-round affair against 19-year-old Alexander Zverev of Germany. The 20 year old from Suwon won all three break points to upset 12^th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, a five-time clay-court titlist, 6-3, 6-4.

Nineteen-year-old Casper Ruud had two set points in the opener against Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas, but the Spaniard saved them both and advanced to the third round 7-6(6), 6-4.

Ruud is currently in sixth place in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan, which will determine seven of the eight 21-and-under players at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, from 7-11 November. The eighth player will be chosen by wild card.

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Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell – Barcelona, Spain

Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez visited the Olympic Stadium to help officially launch the tournament with an archery activity.

David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro and Pablo Carreno Busta participated in a Peugeot clinic, while Albert Ramos-Vinolas was on hand for a Mapfre clinic. Philipp Petzschner. Alexander Peya, Fabrice Martin and Edouard Roger-Vasselin also spent time with young fans at tennis clinics.

Spaniard Tommy Robredo was the lucky star to assist with the tournament draw ceremony.

Gazprom Hungarian Open – Budapest, Hungary

Fernando Verdasco kicked off the inaugural tournament with some mini tennis along the river.

Fabio Fognini, Viktor Troicki, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Robert Lindstedt, Sam Groth, Andrey Kuznetsov, Evgeny Donskoy, Nicholas Monroe and Artem Sitak were among the stars to attend the players’ party. The tournament treated the pros to a boat ride to the centre of Budapest, fireworks, food, music and a show.

Lucas Pouille, Bjorn Fratangelo, Stakhovsky, Mate Pavic and Oliver Marach passed on their tennis skills at kids’ clinics.

Rafael Nadal’s quest for a record 10^th Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell title started with a dominating performance on Wednesday in the Spanish city. Nadal, playing on the newly-named Pista Rafa Nadal, hit 23 winners and dismissed Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-1, 6-2 in 75 minutes.

“I want to thank the club for this honour. It’s one of the most important tournaments for me, one of the courts where I had the best moments of my career,” Nadal said on court after the second-round victory. “This place has meant a lot to me since forever, and [that] the club has decided to name the centre court with my name makes it even more special.”

The third-seeded Spaniard had all of his shots working in his first match since winning his 10^th Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters title on Sunday – backhand winners up the line, well-disguised drop shots and baseline forehands and backhands that produced grueling rallies against the 33-year-old Brazilian. Nadal improves to 49-3 in Barcelona and will face South African Kevin Anderson in the third round. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 3-0.

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Fifth seed David Goffin continued his great start on clay, moving into the third round with a 7-5, 6-0 victory against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, a finalist in Memphis earlier this season. Goffin reached his third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final last week at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The 26-year-old Belgian will next meet #NextGenATP player Karen Khachanov, who prevailed against 11^th seed Pablo Cuevas 7-6(5), 7-6(5).

Spaniard Feliciano Lopez sent countryman wild card Albert Montanes into retirement, 6-2, 6-2 in 61 minutes. Montanes, who made his Barcelona debut 16 years ago, is retiring after this week. The 36 year old is a six-time ATP World Tour champion and reached a career-high of No. 22 on 2 August 2010.

Lopez will face top seed Andy Murray, who moved into the third round after Aussie Bernard Tomic withdrew from their scheduled contest due to a lower back injury.

Hyeon Chung set-up an-all #NextGenATP third-round affair against 19-year-old Alexander Zverev. The South Korean qualifier won all three break points to upset 12^th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, a five-time clay-court titlist, 6-3, 6-4.