Ruud and Tsitsipas reach Barcelona Open semifinals, one win away from another title clash

The two remain on course to meet in the final after meeting in the title clash at the Monte Carlo Masters last week, where Tsitsipas prevailed 6-1, 6-4

Norway’s Casper Ruud serves against Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi during their ATP Barcelona Open quarterfinal match. | Photo Credit: AFP

Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas won to advance to the Barcelona Open semifinals on Friday, keeping them on course to meet in a second straight final.

Ruud beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-3 to notch his season-leading 27th win. The sixth-ranked Norwegian has two more wins than Jannik Sinner.

Tsitsipas saved two match points to rally past Facundo Díaz 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8).

Tsitispas struggled with his serve and double-faulted seven times. One of them cost him a break while the Greek player was trying to serve out the match up 5-4 in the third set. He then had to save a match point while serving again before facing the brink again in the tiebreaker.

“I feel like having so many matches under my belt and faced situations like this helps for sure,” Tsitsipas said. “I knew anything was possible at any given time.”

Tsitsipas saved two match points to rally past Facundo Díaz 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8). | Photo Credit: AFP

The seventh-ranked Tsitsipas easily defeated Ruud to claim his third title at Monte Carlo last weekend.

Ruud is trying to reach his fourth final this year. Besides the loss in Monte Carlo, he also lost finals in Los Cabos and Acapulco. He will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Saturday after the Argentine defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1).

Ruud got the better of Martin Etcheverry in their only previous meeting last year, when he had to rally from a set down in Beijing.

“It is going to be another difficult match,” Ruud said.

Next up for Tsitsipas is Dusan Lajovic after he beat 19-year-old Arthur Fils 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.