rublev moved into the Barcelona Open final on Saturday after rallying from a set down to beat Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in Barcelona. The Russian booked his first final of the year and the 29th final of his career, keeping his title hopes alive after a run of near misses.
Rublev won 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 and will now play Arthur Fils in Sunday’s final, which is set for 15: 00 BST. Fils also came back from a set down to defeat Spain’s Rafael Jodar and complete the championship match lineup.
Rublev steadies after a slow start
Medjedovic took the opening set, but rublev responded sharply in the next two to take control of the match. The comeback mattered because it ended a string of four straight semifinal defeats for Rublev and put him into his first final since February 2025.
That previous title came in the Qatar Open final, where he beat Britain’s Jack Draper. On this occasion, the stakes are different but the outcome is the same kind of test of nerve: Rublev found a way through after dropping the first set and handled the pressure of the second and third with far greater authority.
Fils joins Rublev after strong finish
Fils reached the final by beating Jodar 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 after a difficult opening set. The Frenchman said the match required time to adjust to Jodar’s pace and quality, adding that he felt better after the first set and finished strongly.
He also called Rublev a great champion and pointed to the pair’s past battles, signaling that Sunday’s final should be demanding for both men. The pairing was set by two similar semifinal comebacks, with each player recovering after losing the opening set.
Reactions point to a tight final
Fils said of Jodar: “On the TV I don’t think you can see how hard he is hitting. It took me one set to get used to his quality, and then after I felt better and I finished very strong. ” He also said of Rublev: “Rublo is a great champion. We had some big battles in the past, so it’s not going to be easy. ”
Those comments capture the shape of the final now ahead: two players arriving with momentum, both having shown resilience under pressure. rublev has already answered one major question by reaching his first final of the year, and Sunday will show whether he can finish the job.
What comes next in Barcelona
The Barcelona Open final begins at 15: 00 BST on Sunday, with Rublev and Fils each trying to turn comeback wins into a title. For rublev, the match offers a chance to end the wait for a trophy; for Fils, it is an opportunity to add a title after another impressive run in Barcelona.
