Alcaraz sets Rune clash in blockbuster Barcelona final

Carlos Alcaraz further showcased his versatility and tactical nous on Saturday at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, where he surged into the championship match.

The top seed tamed the windy conditions and a heavy-hitting Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 to extend his winning streak to nine matches. Alcaraz saved the only break point he faced in the 76-minute clash, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to reaching his third ATP Tour final of the season (also Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo).

“The first thing we have to be grateful for is the sun,” Alcaraz said with a smile when asked of the conditions. “The sun was out, it wasn’t raining. There was [however] a lot of wind today, so I had to survive. It wasn’t about playing fantastic tennis, brilliant shots… It was about making the shots you have to do, no more than that.”

Unstoppable in Barcelona! 💜

The streak hits 14 Ws as Carlitos blows past Fils 6–2 6–4!@bcnopenbs | #BCNOpenBS | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/Lyhv13ez6b

— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 19, 2025

In front of a capacity crowd in Barcelona, Alcaraz delivered a masterclass from the baseline and nullified Fils’ ability to dominate with his groundstrokes. The Spaniard targeted Fils’ backhand and found comfort when implementing variation to advance to the forecourt.

Having defeated Fils en route to his second title of the season in Monte-Carlo last week, Alcaraz now leads the Frenchman 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 21-year-old is the only player to boast a winning streak of nine matches or more on the ATP Tour in 2025.

Alcaraz, who won back-to-back titles in Barcelona in 2022-23, will aim to complete his hat-trick against Holger Rune in an anticipated final at the ATP 500 event.

“Since I was a little kid, I was here on Sunday’s watching the final,” added Alcaraz. “I played twice here, so being in a final here in Barcelona again means a lot. In front of my people, my friends who came from Murcia, and of course the people here in Barcelona. It’s been a really fun and great week, and let’s see if we can end tomorrow with a trophy.”

The sixth-seeded Rune delivered a near-flawless performance to dismantle Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 and reach his second ATP Tour final of the season (also Indian Wells). By reaching the title tilt in Barcelona, Rune has risen four spots to No. 9 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings to secure his return to the Top 10 on Monday for the first time since last April.

Rune retired from his Monte-Carlo opener last week due to food poisoning, but has bounced back with an impressive string of performances in Barcelona, where the 21-year-old is into his first tour-level final on clay since the Masters 1000 in Rome in 2023.

“[It’s] definitely [a motivation],” responded Rune when asked about his Top-10 return. “In the beginning of the week, it’s not really something I think about. For me, it’s [technically] the first tournament on clay [in 2025]. I told myself: ‘Let’s use it as a training week to build’. But now it’s not really a training week, it’s become a very good week. I’m super happy to be in the final and back in the Top 10 in the Live Rankings, it feels good.”

After delivering a heavy-hitting masterclass to oust defending champion Casper Ruud in Friday’s quarter-final, Rune showcased a different brilliance against Khachanov. The Dane’s tactical variety proved crucial, particularly in the opening set, where he won all six points in which he used the drop shot. Rune fittingly sealed his 67-minute clinic with a clinical drop shot followed by an effortless backhand pass.

“I was playing very well from the back of the court, and mixing up the pace very well,” said Rune. “He’s very good from the serve, [using] his forehand and backhand. So I tried to make it difficult for him by mixing it up with drop shots, slices, and high balls. It’s all a balance, but I’m happy with how I handled it today.”