Andrey Rublev and Arthur Fils battled back from a set down on Saturday to book their places in the Barcelona Open final, setting up a Sunday showdown between two players who have found their rhythm again on the clay.
Rublev defeated Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first semifinal, and Fils followed by beating Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Fils had to absorb a fierce early challenge from Jodar, who arrived in the semifinals on an eight-match winning streak and had already built momentum with a title run in Marrakech.
The Frenchman settled after a shaky opening set, gradually taking control from the baseline and pulling away as the match wore on. The win gave Fils his 100th ATP Tour victory and sent him into his second ATP 500 final of the 2026 season after his runner-up finish in Doha.
Jodar gave the home crowd plenty to believe in with his aggressive hitting and fast start, but Fils’ heavier game and greater experience began to show in the second and third sets. By the finish, the 21-year-old Frenchman had turned a difficult semifinal into another strong statement during an increasingly consistent season.
Rublev’s path to the final was similarly demanding. Medjedovic, a qualifier enjoying a breakthrough week in Barcelona, took the opening set and looked capable of another upset after knocking out higher-ranked opponents earlier in the tournament.
Rublev responded by tightening up on serve, cutting down the openings for the Serbian, and taking charge of the rallies as Medjedovic’s errors began to mount.
The victory put Rublev into his first final of the season and ended a frustrating stretch of semifinal exits. For a player who has spent much of the year trying to rediscover his best level, the comeback offered a timely boost heading deeper into the clay-court swing.
Sunday’s final will also unfold without Carlos Alcaraz in the draw after the world number two withdrew from Barcelona with a right wrist injury and then pulled out of Madrid as well. That has opened the door for a different champion in Catalonia, and both Rublev and Fils now have a chance to seize it.
