Alcaraz breezes into Barcelona semis

MANILA, Philippines — 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 defense 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 broke for a 4-2 lead in the second set before closing out the victory.

“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 No. 2 beat Fils in three sets last week on his run to the Monte Carlo title.

Fils advanced when four-time Barcelona runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas retired in the third game of their quarterfinal.

The 20-year-old Fils was leading 2-0 when Tsitsipas took a medical timeout.