BARCELONA, Spain — The highly anticipated showdown for the Barcelona Open title will feature top seed Carlos Alcaraz squaring off against Holger Rune following their impressive straight-set wins in the semifinals on Saturday.
Ranked No. 2 in the world, Alcaraz showcased his prowess by defeating No. 14 Arthur Fils with a confident score of 6-2, 6-4, while Rune dominated Karen Khachanov, clinching the match 6-3, 6-2 on the beautiful outdoor clay courts.
Currently leading their head-to-head record at 2-1, Alcaraz will be looking to solidify his advantage over the 13th-ranked Rune, a fellow 21-year-old. Notably, they have yet to face each other on clay, with their last encounter seeing Alcaraz claim victory at Wimbledon 2023.
Fresh off his inaugural Monte Carlo Masters title last weekend, Alcaraz is on the hunt for his third title of the year and the 19th of his illustrious career. He previously triumphed at the Barcelona Open in both 2022 and 2023.
On the other hand, Rune boasts four titles in his career, making for an exciting clash on the court.
“Since I was a little kid, I was here on Sundays watching the final,” remarked Alcaraz. “Having the chance to compete in the final here in Barcelona again means a lot to me. This week has been incredibly enjoyable, and I’m eager to see if we can finish it off with another trophy tomorrow.”
