BARCELONA, Spain — In an impressive display of skill, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz secured his eighth consecutive victory of the season by defeating Alex de Minaur with a score of 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open on Friday.
Fresh off his inaugural title at the Monte Carlo Masters, Alcaraz is now set to face Arthur Fils as he aims for a remarkable third championship in Barcelona.
Fils has advanced to his first semifinal of the year, taking advantage of a retirement from four-time Barcelona finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, who withdrew after falling behind in the opening games.
While the specifics of the injury were not disclosed, Fils speculated it might be related to Tsitsipas’s back.
With a career-high ranking of 13, Fils has a chance to penetrate the top-10 for the first time if he clinches the tournament title.
A final appearance would allow Holger Rune, currently ranked 11th, to make his return to the top 10.
Rune boosted his prospects after a commanding victory over defending champion Casper Ruud, triumphing 6-4, 6-2, in a match where Ruud tallied an uncharacteristic 29 unforced errors.
“I played on my terms and felt really explosive; this is the style I want to embody,” Rune expressed with confidence.
Next, Rune will meet Karen Khachanov, who displayed resilience in his match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, coming back from 5-2 down in the final set to win 6-4, 7-5.
