Although a number of the big guns have made early exits at the ATP Barcelona Open, but all the same the semifinals promise plenty of entertaining action with three rising stars and one veteran all vying for a place in the final in the Catalan capital. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for both matches – but who will book their spot in Sunday’s final?
ATP Barcelona Semifinal Predictions
Andrey Rublev vs Hamad Medjedovic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Andrey Rublev has endured another frustrating season so far, with the Russian not quite able to capture the consistency that once took him into the top five. But he has been playing some good tennis so far at ATP Barcelona, beating Maria Navone, Lorenzo Sonego, and Tomas Machac to reach the last four without dropping a set. Having crashed out in the second round Monte Carlo, this will have been a welcome return to form for Rublev.
But he will need to be at his best up against Hamad Medjedovic. The Serbian has been threatening a breakthrough for some time and might just be on the cusp of achieving this week. He has already won five matches this week – starting in the qualifiers – and dropped just one set in the process. His win over third seed Alex de Minaur will also have given him real confidence
All the sane, whilst Medjedovic has been in impressive form, Rublev is a very effective clay-courter and can summon more power than de Minaur or any other opponent that the Serbian has faced so far. It should be close, but Rublev’s experience and quality might just give him a decisive edge here.
Prediction: Rublev in 3
Rafael Jodar vs Arthur Fils
Head-to-head: first meeting
Rafael Jodar’s successful Spring has continued on home turf in Barcelona. The Spaniard, who reached the third round in Miami as a qualifier before winning his maiden title in Marrakech, has impressed so far at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona with wins over Jaume Munar, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, and former-world #8 Cameron Norrie. More impressively, no one has yet run him close with all three of his wins coming in straight sets.
But Arthur Fils has been in fine form himself. The Frenchman, after coming back from injury, has won 16 of his 21 matches this season and looks on course to become the next great hope of French tennis. There are some areas for improvement, but the upside is evident and, when he is on song, he is very hard to live with. Jodar clearly has a very bright future, but Fils is further along the path of development, and in the here and now, should have too much for Jodar.
Prediction: Fils in 3
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images