The Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell in Barcelona, Spain, is down to eight quarterfinalists in its once 48-man draw. The tennis on the clay of Barcelona has been very high quality all week, leading to eight seeded players making it to the quarterfinals. No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas has a blockbuster battle against Australian Alex de Minaur. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Barcelona. But who will advance?
ATP Barcelona Quarterfinal Predictions
Carlos Alcaraz vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Young Spaniards Carlos Alcaraz and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will square off for the first time with a spot in the semifinals on home soil in sight. Alcaraz, the current world No. 2, holds a 20-3 record this year. Since the start of 2022, he is 37-5 on the clay and raised the title last year in Barcelona. Davidovich Fokina will be up against it on Friday, but the 23-year-old does not lack confidence. He has looked solid in two victories this week, but in this matchup, I do not believe he has the firepower to hang with his younger compatriot. Alcaraz will be able to bully Davidovich Fokina around the court and finish him off with unmatched variety.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 2
Jannik Sinner vs Lorenzo Musetti
Head-to-Head: Sinner 2-0 Musetti
Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti are coming off three-set victories in Round 3. The two young Italians have been playing with confidence over the last two months and are ranked in the world’s top 20. When they squared off last week in Monte Carlo, Sinner dispatched his younger compatriot 6-2 6-2. While I do not believe the scorer will once again be that lopsided, I do expect Sinner to advance to the Barcelona quarterfinals. His current form of aggression will be too much for Musetti to handle.
Prediction: Sinner in 2
Daniel Evans vs Francisco Cerundolo
Head-to-Head: Evans 1-0 Cerundolo
Daniel Evans and Francisco Cerundolo are set for a very intriguing quarterfinal matchup in Barcelona. These two square off last year at Roland Garros, with the Brit topping the Argentine 7-6 6-4 6-4. That result was a bit surprising given Cerundolo’s early career success on the clay. The Argentine bested Casper Ruud 7-6 6-3 in Round 3 and seems poised for a big-time run this clay season. I expect him to be able to return most balls Evans hits and to eventually wear down the Brit.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 2
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alex de Minaur
Head-to-Head: Tstistipas 10-1 de Minaur
It has been a one-way street when Stefanos Tstisipas and Alex de Minaur have squared off in the past. The Greek holds a 10-1 record against the Aussie, with that lone loss coming on the Challenger Tour in 2017. Tstisipas has won 12 of the last 13 sets in this matchup and should feel confident ahead of the Barcelona Open quarterfinals. De Minaur received a Round 3 walkover and should have fresh legs for this encounter. He will undoubtedly need all the energy he can muster because I expect the Greek to force de Minaur to chase balls all match long. I expect the Aussie to push Tsitispas but ultimately expect the Greek to navigate his way to a straight-set victory.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
