Fils Overcomes Musetti, Secures Spot in Barcelona Semifinals
Rublev and Medjedovic claim victories in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event
April 17, 2026
Image Credit: Getty Images
Arthur Fils celebrates his victory on Friday in Barcelona.
By Sam Jacot
Arthur Fils showcased his exceptional form at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Friday, dominating second seed Lorenzo Musetti with a score of 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the semi-finals of this prestigious ATP 500 event.
After an eight-month injury layoff, Fils has made an explosive return since February, reaching the finals in Doha and performing admirably during the ‘Sunshine Double’ with a run to the semi-finals in Miami and the quarter-finals in Indian Wells.
Making his clay season debut in Barcelona, Fils navigated a tense opening match against Terence Atmane where he saved two match points before swiftly defeating Brandon Nakashima. Displaying remarkable confidence against Musetti, the 21-year-old outlasted the Italian in crucial backhand rallies, sealing the match in just 86 minutes.
“While everyone anticipates my serve and forehand, my backhand remains strong and consistent,” Fils noted. “I felt good today, maintaining solidity throughout. Competing against Lorenzo is always challenging due to his ability to vary the pace. I focused on being aggressive out there.”
Fils has now notched two Top 10 victories in 2026 and is set to make his 13th appearance in a tour-level semi-final. Currently ranked No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings, he reached this stage in Barcelona last year and aims to push further this time. His next challenge is against Spanish wild card Rafael Jodar.
Musetti arrived in Barcelona without a tour-level win since the Australian Open in January, although he managed to defeat Martin Landaluce and Corentin Moutet during the tournament.
In earlier matches, Andrey Rublev set up a semi-final face-off with Hamad Medjedovic. The fifth seed Rublev cruised past Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-3, marking his first time reaching the last four in Barcelona. The 28-year-old has maintained an impressive form this week, not dropping a single set in his first three matches.
Ranked World No. 15, Rublev boasts a perfect 4-0 record in tour-level quarter-finals this year, though he has yet to convert a deep run into a title. His last victory came at the ATP 500 event in Doha last year.
Medjedovic continued his surprising journey with a straight-sets win over Nuno Borges, 7-6(6), 6-2. The Serbian qualifier is now into the semi-finals of an ATP 500 event for the first time, climbing 20 spots to No. 68 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
