Arthur Fils defeats Andrey Rublev to win Barcelona clay-court title
Frenchman Arthur Fils has capped his impressive return from a long-term back injury by defeating Russian Andrey Rublev to win the Barcelona clay-court title on Sunday.
The 21-year-old secured a commanding 6-2 7-6 (7-2) victory in the weekend’s high-profile final.
This triumph marks a significant milestone for the rising star, who missed the latter stages of the 2025 season with a severe spinal problem.
Since making his comeback to the ATP tour in February, the dynamic athlete has consistently impressed at top-level events.
Strong run of form continues
Prior to arriving in Spain, the lightning-fast youngster reached the final of the Qatar Open, ultimately falling to Carlos Alcaraz.
He subsequently proved his fitness across the arduous American hard-court swing, making the quarter-finals at Indian Wells and reaching the last four in Miami.
Following this latest victory on the European dirt, the promising talent is projected to climb back into the top 25 of the world rankings.
I want to say a big thank you to my team. It’s been eight tough months struggling with injury but we’re back on the court and we won the trophy, so I’m pretty happy about that.
British duo claim doubles glory
In the men’s doubles tournament, the British pairing of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool secured their first silverware of 2026.
The reigning Wimbledon champions defeated France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Italy’s Andrea Vavassori with a straight-sets 6-3 6-4 victory.
We had not won a title this year but had been in a couple of finals. It is always important to get back to winning ways and get comfortable in those moments again. I am happy with the week.
