Alcaraz enters Barcelona semis; Sabalenka plays waiting game in pursuit of Stuttgart title

BARCELONA: Carlos Alcaraz battled into the semi-finals 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.

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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 with injury, broke for a 4-2 lead in the second set before closing out the victory.

"I started quite badly with the serve, I was struggling a little bit mentally with (it)," said Alcaraz.

"It was just the first few games with my serve, then I think l improved a lot. I calmed myself down and started to think positively again."

"It was really tight the first set," he added. "I'm glad that I ended up winning it. In the second set I just played great tennis.

Reigning French Open champion Alcaraz is 20-1 on clay since May of last year and has won 13 straight matches in Barcelona.

Alcaraz will face French rising star Arthur Fils on Saturday 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.