MUY FUERTE: Alcaraz dumps Fils, makes Barcelona final

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Carlos Alcaraz cruised into his third Barcelona Open final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Arthur Fils on a breezy Saturday and will face Holger Rune, who demolished Karen Khachanov.

Eight days earlier, in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals, Frenchman Fils had won the first set and forced Alcaraz to fight for victory.

On Saturday, the Spaniard took control from the start, breaking serve in the third and fifth games of the opening set as Fils struggled with the swirling conditions.

“I started the match really focused on my game and being in a good position every time to hit the right shots,” Alcaraz said after the win.

Alcaraz broke again in the third game of the second set and only stuttered when he squandered his first two match points with a double fault and a wild drive, before clinching victory.

“The wind was really tough,” Alcaraz said. “It wasn’t about playing fantastic tennis, brilliant, brilliant shots. It was about making the shots you had to do and no more than that. I did it pretty well.”After winning in Monte Carlo last week, Alcaraz remains perfect on clay this season. He has not lost in Barcelona since 2021. He won the tournament in 2022 and 2023 before missing last year’s event with an arm injury.

“Being in a final in Barcelona again means a lot in front of my people, in front of my friends,” Alcaraz said.

“It has been really fun and a great week. Let’s see if tomorrow we’ll end with a trophy. It’s going to be really tough. I’m super excited.”

Earlier, world No. 13 Rune outclassed Khachanov 6-3, 6-2.

The 21-year-old Dane did not face a break point in the first set, but broke to love in the seventh game and broke again in the ninth.