Barcelona - Rafael Nadal will hope to ride the fevered emotions of a Spanish crowd as the world number 1 works to extend his world-beating clay court success at the Barcelona Open.

The five-time winner at Monte Carlo said Monday that he is extra motivated to be playing at home this week as he builds for the May 24 start of the French Open.

"It's great to be home at this club, where I'm a member, playing here gives me even more motivation," he said only hours after arriving in the Catalan capital from the Mediterranean millionaire principality where he triumphed again on Sunday over three sets against Novak Djokovic.

Nadal is looking for five titles on the trot at the Real club as well as a fifth at Roland Garros. In the interim, a Rome title next week would make his record four trophies from the last five after Djokovic won in the Eternal City a year ago over Swiss Stan Wawrinka.

It can be a bit overwhelming on occasion, even for Nadal: "Who would have thought that I could achieve this. My clay results have been unbelievable.

"I would have never dreamed to have accomplished all that I have. I'm just 22 but I've been on the Tour for seven years.

Nadal heads the seedings in Barcelona, where he begins after the bye awarded to the leading eight. Compatriot and Australian Open semi-finalist Fernando Verdasco takes the number 2 ahead of Russian Nikolay Davydenko. Former winner and crowd favourite Marat Safin has a wild card.

Spain placed 14 players in a 56-man field, with Serb Janko Tipsarevic ousting the first local hope with his first-round defeat of Albert Montanes 6-4, 7-6 (7-1).

Santiago Ventura won an all-Iberian battle of Marcel Granollers 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 and Albert Martin of Spain stopped Frenchman Marc Gicquel 6-3, 6-4.

Russian number 12 Igor Andreev was the first seed through to the second round as he beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Number
10 Nicolas Almagro of Spain went through as Romanian Victor Hanescu retired with the score at 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 2-2.

Italian Potito Starace handed Latvian Ernests Gulbis his third first-round loss 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. (dpa)