Arthur Fils and Andrey Rublev set for Barcelona Open final clash

Arthur Fils and Andrey Rublev both produced spirited comeback victories from a set down to book their places in the final of the Barcelona Open.

Arthur Fils overcame Spain’s Rafael Jodar in a hard-fought semi-final, recovering after dropping the opening set to win 3-6 6-3 6-2.

The French rising star showed impressive resilience on clay, gradually taking control of the match after a slow start.

The victory marked a significant milestone for Fils, his 100th win on the ATP Tour, underlining his rapid progress at the elite level.

Reflecting on his performance, Fils praised his opponent’s intensity, saying it was difficult to fully appreciate the power of Jodar’s shots from television coverage.

He admitted it took him a set to adjust to the Spaniard’s heavy hitting before finding his rhythm and finishing strongly.

The 20-year-old also acknowledged the importance of winning titles, noting that consistent victories alone are not enough without converting them into trophies.

In the other semi-final, Andrey Rublev secured his place in his first final of the season and the 29th of his career after defeating Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

The Russian recovered well after losing the opening set, raising his level significantly to dominate the next two sets with aggressive baseline play and improved consistency.

Rublev, who had suffered defeat in his previous four semi-final appearances, will now aim to end his title drought. His last tournament victory came at the Qatar Open in February 2025, where he defeated Britain’s Jack Draper in the final.

The Barcelona Open final, set to begin at 15:00 BST on Sunday, promises an intriguing clash between two in-form players.