BARCELONA: Carlos Alcaraz battled into the semifinals of the Barcelona Open on Friday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Alex de Minaur after Casper Ruud's title defence was ended by Holger Rune.
Top seed Alcaraz twice fell a break down but recovered to win the opening set in a match-up of the two players with the most wins on tour this season.
Alcaraz, chasing a third Barcelona title in four years after missing the last edition due to injury, broke for a 4-2 lead in the second set before closing out the victory.
"It was really tight the first set," said Alcaraz. "I'm glad that I ended up winning it. In the second set I just played great tennis."
Alcaraz will face four-time runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas or French rising star Arthur Fils for a place in the final. The Spanish world number two beat Fils in three sets last week on his run to the Monte Carlo title.
Reigning French Open champion Alcaraz is 20-1 on clay since May of last year and has won 13 straight matches in Barcelona.
Norwegian Ruud lost 6-4, 6-2 to Rune as he suffered just a second defeat in eight meetings with the Danish player.
World number 13 Rune broke second seed Ruud twice in each set to line up a semi-final against Karen Khachanov, who overcame Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-5. — AFP
ATP Barcelona Open results
Quarterfinals
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP x1) bt Alex de Minaur (AUS x5) 7-5, 6-3; Arthur Fils (FRA x7) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x3) 2-0 - retired; Karen Khachanov (RUS) bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 6-4, 7-5; Holger Rune (DEN x6) bt Casper Ruud (NOR x2) 6-4, 6-2
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