5 players who have completed the Monte Carlo- Barcelona double in the Open Era ft. Rafael Nadal and Bjorn Borg

Rafael Nadal has won the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open 11 and 12 times respectively, the most by any player. So it should come as no surprise that the Spaniard has triumphed in Monte Carlo and Barcelona back-to-back on at least a few occasions.

The Monte Carlo-Barcelona double is generally considered one of the hardest achievements in the clay season. For starters, both events attract some of the biggest names in the sport. To add to that, a player would have to win anywhere between 10 and 12 matches in a two-week span to complete the feat, which is asking a lot.

In the Open Era, only five players have successfully accomplished the feat, and only one, Nadal, is still active. Without further ado, here's a look at them:

#1 Ilie Nastase

Ilie Nastase was the first player in the Open Era to complete the Monte-Carlo and Barcelona Double

Ilie Nastase completed the achievement in 1973, defeating Bjorn Borg in straight sets in the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters to notch up his third straight title at the tournament. The former World No. 1 also won the doubles title that year, partnering with Spain's Juan Gisbert.

At the Barcelona Open, the Romanian defeated Manuel Orantes in straight sets to bring up his second consecutive title in Spain. Remarkably, Nastase won the doubles title at Barcelona too, partnering with Netherlands' Tom Okker this time around.

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#2 Bjorn Borg

Bjorn Borg's first of three titles at Monte-Carlo came in 1977, defeating Italy's Corrado Barazzutti in straight sets in the final. The Swede went on to win the tournament in 1979 and 1980 as well.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion won his second title in Barcelona the following week, besting Manuel Orantes in the final in straight sets. The former World No. 1's first title had come two years prior in 1975.

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#3 Mats Wilander

Mats Wilander won the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open back-to-back in 1983

Mats Wilander's first Monte-Carlo title came in 1983, when he defeated Mel Purcell in straight sets in the final. The seven-time Grand Slam champion triumphed at the Barcelona Open the following week, besting Guillermo Vilas in the final.

Interestingly, Wilander could have completed the Monte-Carlo and Barcelona Double in 1982 as well, but fell to compatriot Henrik Sundstrom in the final in France.

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#4 Thomas Muster

Thomas Muster completed the Monte Carlo-Barcelona double twice, in 1995 and 1996. The Austrian won the Monte-Carlo Masters for the second time in 1995, defeating Boris Becker in a five-setter in the final. At the Barcelona Open the following week, he dwarfed Magnus Larsson in straight sets.

In 1996, the former World No. 1 defended his titles at both tournaments, vanquishing Albert Costa in a five-setter at Monte-Carlo and prevailing over Marcelo Rios in four sets at Barcelona.

#5 Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has completed the Monte-Carlo and Barcelona Double on 10 occasions till date

Rafael Nadal has completed the Monte-Carlo and Barcelona double a whopping 10 times till date. Between 2005 and 2009, Nadal won both events five times in a row, defeating Roger Federer thrice, David Ferrer twice, and Novak Djokovic, Guillermo Coria, Guillermo Canas, Tommy Robredo and Juan Carlos Ferrero once each across 10 finals.

2011 and 2012 witnessed the Spaniard win his seventh and eighth titles in Monte-Carlo, besting Ferrer and Djokovic in the respective finals. At Barcelona, Nadal won his sixth and seventh titles, beating Ferrer in both finals.

Between 2016 and 2018, Nadal completed a hat-trick in both events. Gael Monfils, Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Kei Nishikori fell in the finals in Monte-Carlo, while Nishikori, Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas were the 21-time Grand Slam champion's victims in Spain.

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