STUTTGART, April 16, 2015

Fourteen-times Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will play this year’s first edition of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart on grass.

Along the ATP Masters event in Monte Carlo, the Spaniard told that he will join compatriot Feliciano López, world number ten Marin Cilic, local hero Tommy Haas as well as Marcos Baghdatis for this year’s line-up. It is the first time that the current world number five will play two grass court tournaments (Stuttgart and London Queens) in preparation of Wimbledon.

Rafael Nadal will play at Stuttgart’s first ATP event on grass

“I am really happy that with Rafael Nadal one of the big-four in contemporary tennis and one of the greatest players of all time will participate at our inaugural grass court event,” tournament director Edwin Weindorfer told.

“I really want to thank his coach and uncle Toni Nadal, who helped us to execute our project for young players ‘The Making of a Wimbledon’ last year. He informed Rafa about the perfect conditions of our courts here. With the conditions as good as in Wimbledon, we really have a unique selling proposition and the tournament reaches new dimensions. I am confident that we will present more superstars in the coming years,” he added.

Nadal played in Stuttgart before. He captured the title in 2005 and 2007, back then on clay. This year’s Mercedes Cup takes place from June 6 to 14 and has a total prize money of € 642.070 and the winner gains 250 ranking Points.

Rafael Nadal during his last appearance in Stuttgart in 2007

“I am very happy to be back in Stuttgart. I’ve always felt very good there. Last time I was there, the tournament took place on clay and was totally different. This time, it will be on grass and I am really looking forward to playing in Stuttgart and Germany again. After claiming two titles on clay it is a special motivation for me to win on grass,” Nadal said.