Intro:

Eight-time Barcelona Open champion Rafael Nadal was knocked out of this year's event by Italy's Fabio Fognini in their third round match on Thursday.

Script:

There was a huge shock at the Barcelona Open on Thursday as Rafael Nadal was beaten by Fabio Fognini.

It's the second consecutive match in which the 13th seed has beaten the former world number one, having also beaten Nadal in Rio in February.

After losing the first set 6-4, Nadal appeared to be back on track when he broke Fognini to lead 5-4 in the second set.

But the eight time champion here in Barcelona allowed Fognini to break back immediately and the second set went into a tie-break which the Italian took eight points to six.

Fognini now plays another Spaniard, Pablo Andujar, in the quarter-finals.

After the match, an emotional Nadal said he would work tirelessly to regain his best form with the French Open a matter of weeks away.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Rafael Nadal:

"No - today is a bad day, today is not a new challenge. My challenge is to be back playing at my best level again and I will work until that happens. So I have that conviction that will happen and I will work until I do that. Until I - until I will be back to my best. So - let's wait for a while."

Defending champion and top seed Kei Nishikori made straightforward progress at the expense of the man he beat in last year's Barcelona final, Spain's Santiago Giraldo.

Also through are third seed David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo.