Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis prodigy, continues to carve his name into the annals of clay-court greatness, storming into the semi-finals of the 2025 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell with a commanding 7-5, 6-3 victory over Australia’s Alex de Minaur. The world No. 2, who has lost just one match on Spanish clay since 2022, showcased his relentless baseline game and unshakable resolve, extending his Barcelona winning streak to 13 matches and his 2025 clay-court record to an impeccable 8-0. “I started quite badly with the serve, I was struggling a little bit mentally with [it],” Alcaraz admitted, reflecting on early hiccups. Yet, his ability to regroup and dominate underscored why he remains a near-unstoppable force on the red dirt of his homeland.
The Barcelona Open, held at the historic Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899, is more than a tournament for Alcaraz—it’s a homecoming. A two-time champion in 2022 and 2023, he returned in 2025 after missing last year’s event due to a right arm injury. Fresh off a Monte Carlo Masters title, Alcaraz arrived brimming with confidence. “I gained a lot of confidence in Monte-Carlo,” he said earlier in the week. “I wasn’t expecting to win, just to get some time on clay and ending up winning the title gives me a lot of confidence for what is to come.” His quarter-final clash with de Minaur, a tenacious fifth seed known for his speed, tested that confidence early. De Minaur seized a break advantage in the first set, pushing Alcaraz onto the defensive with aggressive play. But the Spaniard, cheered by a passionate home crowd, rallied to level the set at 4-4, capitalizing on unforced errors to clinch it 7-5.
The second set saw Alcaraz find his rhythm, breaking de Minaur’s serve with a blistering forehand and riding the momentum to a 6-3 finish. “It was just the first few games with my serve, then I think I improved a lot. I calmed myself down and started to think positively again,” he said, highlighting his mental fortitude. The victory, his 23rd of the season, marked his third Barcelona semi-final and his 36th career ATP semi-final, a remarkable feat for a player still in his early 20s. Alcaraz’s 27-1 record on Spanish clay since 2022, with his only loss to Andrey Rublev at the 2024 Madrid Open, cements his reputation as a clay-court juggernaut, drawing comparisons to his idol, Rafael Nadal, whose name adorns the tournament’s center court.
Awaiting Alcaraz in the semi-finals is France’s Arthur Fils, who advanced when Stefanos Tsitsipas retired in their quarter-final match after just three games due to injury. Fils, a rising star at world No. 13, poses a fresh challenge, but Alcaraz holds a 1-0 head-to-head edge from their recent Monte Carlo encounter. “It’s a privilege for me to return to Barcelona, which I feel was and is my home,” Alcaraz said, emphasizing the emotional weight of competing before Spanish fans. His quest for a third Barcelona title, which would tie him with legends like Mats Wilander, is fueled by this connection, as well as his mastery of clay’s sliding demands and high-bouncing rallies.
Alcaraz’s 2025 season has been a testament to his versatility and resilience. After a quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, he claimed his first indoor hardcourt title in Rotterdam and his sixth Masters 1000 title in Monte Carlo, becoming the first man to win ATP 500 titles on all four surfaces—clay, grass, outdoor hardcourt, and indoor hardcourt. His 82-18 career record on clay, with eight of his 18 tour-level titles on the surface, reflects a player tailor-made for the dirt. “I’m very happy to be here,” he said in Monte Carlo, a sentiment that carries into Barcelona, where he boasts a perfect 20-set winning streak.
The Barcelona Open, with its €2.8 million prize pool, is a crucial stepping stone to the French Open, where Alcaraz triumphed in 2024. Facing a field that includes defending champion Casper Ruud and four-time finalist Tsitsipas, he remains cautious. “You go to tournaments without knowing who might win, there are always six or seven players who could do it,” he noted, dismissing the notion of being the outright favorite. Yet, with his explosive groundstrokes and deft court coverage, Alcaraz is undeniably the man to beat. As he eyes a third Barcelona crown, the Murcia native carries the hopes of a nation, proving that on Spanish clay, he is nothing short of a phenomenon.