BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Casper Ruud beat Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets to advance to the semifinals of the Barcelona Open and notch his season-leading 27th win on Friday.
The sixth-ranked Norwegian won 6-4, 6-3 on the outdoor clay to give him two more wins than Jannik Sinner.
Ruud is trying to reach his fourth final this year having lost in Los Cabos, Acapulco and Monte Carlo.
Ruud will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Saturday after the Argentine defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1).
Ruud got the better of Martin Etcheverry in their only previous meeting last year, when he had to rally from a set down in Beijing.
“It is going to be another difficult match,” Ruud said.
Later Friday, Stefanos Tsitsipas plays Facundo Díaz Acosta, while Dusan Lajovic meets Arthur Fils.
Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament before it started because of an injury, while second-seeded Andrey Rublev lost in the second round.
Rafael Nadal, a 12-time champion in Barcelona, made his return to the courts for the first time since January on Tuesday, only to lose the next day.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
'Shaky' times for scientific research with decade
WorkSafe interim chief executive Steve Haszard resigns months into job
Strong winds linger after storm blows through much of country
France asks retailers to alert customers to cases of 'shrinkflation'
Watch: PM Christopher Luxon speaks at first post
Canada's Trudeau says he often mulls quitting his 'crazy job' but will stay on
Auckland Airport expects the population of a city during school holidays
Apple pulls WhatsApp and Threads from App Store on Beijing's orders
Police call Interpol, ask public to help identify clothes on woman found dead in Gulf Harbour
Standing in the shadows of giants: 1,475 statues fill the landscape beside D
School leaders unite to defend free lunches