Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner stepped forward as contenders for the title Carlos Alcaraz defends. The Greek and the Italian began with two-set victories, mirroring Alcaraz’s path the day before as he advanced to the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell round of 16. The Argentine duo Pedro Cachin and Diego Schwartzman also moved on with straight-set wins (6-2, 6-4).
“I enjoy clay. It feels like painting a canvas. I sense the flow, I can change the shots, and I can explore alternatives,” Tsitsipas said after his win, during an interview with TVE’s Alex Corretja. Although it was his debut in this setting, his deep connection with clay was evident on court.
a bad memory
Fresh off a setback in Monte Carlo a week earlier, Tsitsipas arrives in Barcelona with the aim of succeeding in a venue where he has already reached two finals (2018 and 2021) and where the most recent final included a match point against Rafael Nadal. “You can’t anchor yourself to those memories. You suffer from them for days and weeks, yet these experiences can also help you overcome them,” he reflected after the win.
Schwartzman stood his ground against the Greek in a match that sparked the crowd with moments of remarkable play. One exchange in particular—driven by a bold mid-court attack and relentless retrieval—highlighted the dramatic swing of momentum. Tsitsipas then leaned on his powerful forehand and improved shot precision, stringing together points after the last timeout at 3-2 and sealing the victory in the 78th minute. His next test on the schedule is in Canada against Dennis Shapovalov.
Results this Wednesday
Tsitsipas (Gre, 2) defeated Cachín (Arg) 6-2, 6-4; Sinner (Italy, 4) defeated Schwartzman (Arg) 6-2, 6-4; Shapovalov (Can) defeated Kovalik (Slovakia) 6-4, 6-3; Minaur (Aus, 8) defeated Shevchenko (Russia) 6-0, 6-1; Dimitrov (Bul, 11, 14) defeated Gómez (Ecuador) 6-3, 6-1; Norrie (England, 7) defeated Kotov (Russia) 6-1, 6-2; Nishioka (Japan, 16) defeated Goffin (Belgium) 6-1, 7-5; Cerúndolo (Arg, 15) defeated Passaro 6-2, 6-2.
sinful, easy
In the previous round, the focus was not on painting a canvas but on playing a clean, forceful game. Sinner overcame Schwartzman, last year’s semi-finalist, in a match that underscored the Italian’s stride this season. The 21-year-old is currently world number eight and arrived in Barcelona after lifting his tenth win of the year in Montpellier, followed by a strong run to the Miami Masters 1000 final, where he fell to Alcaraz.
The young Italian and the Murcia-born Alcaraz might square off again later in the weekend, provided they both reach the final on Sunday. Alcaraz, who spent time at Rafael Nadal’s training base, is expected to play today against his Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut. The two had only met once before on tour, and Bautista’s recent experiences include a notably uneven stretch since Indian Wells.