After failing to defend his Monte Carlo title, Rafael Nadal was hoping to win his first title of the season in Barcelona, where he was the three-time defending champion, the 11-time winner, top seed, and the heavy favorite. Instead, Indian Wells champion Dominic Thiem had the last word.
In Stuttgart, defending champion Karolina Pliskova was hoping for a repeat, but compatriot Petra Kvitova emerged victorious.
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Thiem Dethrones the King of Barcelona
It wasn’t going to be an easy match, but the Spaniard was the favorite, mainly because he had not lost a Barcelona semifinal en route to his 11 victories. On Saturday, Thiem broke that streak, beating Nadal, 6-4, 6-4 for his fourth career win over the 17-time Grand Slam champion.