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● Rune Set the clash of the last four with Khachanov A Atp 500
Carlos Alcaraz kept his electric form on Friday on Friday at Barcelona Open AT Sabadell, where he extended his series of eight -games victories.
The best seed obtained an impressive 7-5 victory, 6-3 on Alex de Minaur to reach the semifinals at the ATP 500.
Alcaraz, who raised his second ATP Tour title of the season in Monte-Carlo on Sunday, was twice forced to gather in the opening set, but programmed his accusation to perfectly seal a one-hour and 39-minute victory.
“I started quite badly with the service, I was fighting a little mentally [it]”Alcaraz said, who won 57 % (12/21) of the first service points in the opening set, according to the ATP statistics of Infosys.
“They were only the first games with my service, then I think I improved a lot. I calmed down and I started thinking again positively. Alex started strong, playing aggressively, and the first set was really tight.”
Alcaraz is now among a group of six players to record eight consecutive victories at the tour level in 2025. The Spaniard, who won back-to-back titles in Barcelona in 2022-23, will face Arthur Fils in the semifinal.
The Fils Settimi of seed passed to his first semifinal of the season after Stefanos Tsitsipas retired in the third game of the quarter -final clash.
Longer winning stripes in the 2025 Tour ATP
The player wins
Sebastian Baez 8
Jiri Lehecka 8
Gael Monfils 8
Denis Shapovalov 8
Alexander Zverev 8
Carlos Alcaraz 8
In the other half of the draw, the sixth seed Holger Rune delivered a 6-4 declaration, 6-2 victory compared to the Charging Charge Casper Rudud.
Although the 21-year-old Dane commanded from the basic line, he showed the tactical nous to go on when requested, highlighted by an intelligent service of service and volry on a course to hold 2-0 in the second set.
Notching of his third consecutive victory between the Top-10 (also Tsitsipas, Medvedev on his course towards the Indian Wells final), Rune extended his series of victories in a quarter-final with six games, which dates back to Cincinnati last year.
“It means a lot. Today was a good game,” said Rune, who improved at 14-9 in 2025.
“I was hitting my grunte and I felt well. I played in the right way and I am very happy to have been able to finish it. He made it difficult. He is a great player. I think I played my condition and I was really explosive. This is the way I want to play.”
The former run n. 4 world, which is up to n. 11 In the PIF ATP Live rankings, it could return to the top 10 for the first time since last April if it reaches the final in Barcelona.
While Ruud took an advantage for 6-1 Lexus Atp Head2head in Friday clash with Rune, he was unable to find his range, hitting 29 unformed errors during the 87-minute match. Ruud will leave Barcelona after dropping five points to n. 15 In the Live ATP PIF rankings.
In his 23rd Tour ATP semifinal (10-12), Rune will face Karen Khachanov, who previously passed beyond the Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-5 in an hour, 45 minutes.
28-year-old Khachanov, who is in his third clay court semifinal, pulled out five consecutive 2-5 games and saved a set point in the second set.
“I played really well. I finally found a rhythm of playing consecutive games and winning the nearby ones, which gives me confidence,” said Khachanov.
“Alejandro is playing tremendously well this year, and I had to dig deep to win this, especially in the second set.”
Having reached two Tour ATP finals in Delray Beach and Acapulco, and the semifinals at the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo last week, Davidovich Fokina is ninth in the Pif ATP Live race in Turin. [atptour]
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