Andrey Rublev continued his resurgence on clay with a commanding 6-4, 6-3 win over Tomas Machac to reach the semifinals of the Barcelona Open.
The Russian, currently ranked inside the top 20, needed just over 80 minutes to assert control, dictating rallies with his trademark heavy forehands and relentless baseline pressure.
Rublev’s run in Barcelona signals a timely return to form after an inconsistent start to the clay swing. Having already moved past Mariano Navone and Lorenzo Sonego without dropping a set, he looks increasingly comfortable on the surface.
Against Machac, he absorbed early resistance before pulling away with clinical shot-making and superior tempo.
Machac, who arrived on the back of impressive wins over Francisco Cerundolo and Sebastian Baez, showed flashes of his all-court ability but struggled to contain Rublev’s intensity over two sets.
In the other quarterfinal, Hamad Medjedovic booked his place in the last four with a 7-6(6), 6-2 victory over Nuno Borges. The opening set proved pivotal, with Borges failing to convert a set point before Medjedovic edged the tiebreak.
From there, the Serbian seized momentum, raising his level significantly in the second set. His aggressive returning and confident serving left Borges chasing the match.
For Medjedovic, this marks a breakthrough run, while Rublev’s steady march hints at a potential title push as Barcelona heads toward a compelling finish.