Defending champion Casper Ruud has now secured his place in the last eight of the 2025 Barcelona Open. The former world number two is all set to compete in the all-Scandinavian clash against the Danish star, Holger Rune. Ruud has won three of his last five matches, and guess what? The Norwegian is yet to drop a set in this tournament! He’ll be keen to successfully defend a title for the third time, having won back-to-back titles in Gstaad and Geneva (outdoor clay-court tournaments) in 2021 and 2022. This is Ruud’s first QF appearance in over two months. On the other hand, Rune had a stellar outing at Indian Wells this year. Who’ll win this mega duel in Barcelona?

Casper Ruud vs Holger Rune: Preview

Casper Ruud’s best result of the current season was reaching the final at the Dallas Open. Over there, he was defeated by Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in two sets. In Barcelona, Ruud started his campaign by defeating Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) in the first match by 6-4,6-3, and then in the next round, he came back from a break down in the second set to seal the deal against Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic by 7-5,7-5. While sharing his thoughts about this match, Ruud said, “That was quite fortunate today. I’m also happy with my mentality, that I didn’t give up, that I tried to hang in there. It was a little bit too much up and down today for my personal liking.”

Holger Rune, on the other side, battled back from a set down to beat Sebastian Baez by 4-6,6-1,6-2 in the R16 clash on Wednesday. Rune was forced to pull out of Monte Carlo due to food poisoning last week, but here in Barcelona, he has already made a strong start. Before this match, he outclassed the Spaniard, Albert Ramos-Vinolas, by 7-5,6-4 in the R32.

Rune’s best result of the 2025 season was reaching the final of the Indian Wells, where he was defeated by the Brit, Jack Draper, in straight sets. Can the 21-year-old Dane defeat the clay-court specialist and inch closer to making yet another final this season?

Ruud vs Rune: Head-to-Head

Casper Ruud enjoys playing against Holger Rune. This will be his eighth meeting with the Dane in his career. Currently, Ruud has a 6-1 record against the former world number four (5-1 on clay). Interestingly, he won their first three meetings in straight sets, all on clay as well.

• 2024 Acapulco SF: Ruud 3-6,6-3,6-4.
• 2023 Roland Garros QF: Ruud 6-1,6-2,3-6,6-3.
• 2023 ATP Masters 1000 Rome SF: Rune 6(2)-7,6-4,6-2.
• 2022 Roland Garros QF: Ruud 6-1,4-6,7-6(2),6-3.
• 2022 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo R32: Ruud 7-6(5),7-5.
• 2021 Bastad R16: Ruud 6-0,6-2.
• 2021 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo R64: Ruud 6-2,6-1.

Prediction: Rune will win this epic duel in three sets

Considering Casper Ruud’s dominance over Holger Rune and also looking at his record in this tournament, the Norwegian has an upper hand going into this match. Ruud (10) has compiled a 15-5 win-loss record in 2025, 3-1 on clay, whereas the Dane has composed a record of just 13-9, with 2-2 on clay.

Before this, Holger Rune’s (13) best record in the Barcelona Open was a first-round appearance in 2021. Ruud, on the other hand, is not only the defending champion of the Barcelona Open, but he has also reached the finals of the French Open twice (2022, 2023) in his career.

Talking about their playing styles, Rune is known for his all-court, aggressive, and high-energy playing style. He utilizes a strong, consistent backhand and a compact forehand to move opponents around the court. The Dane is also known for his athleticism, speed, and ability to play offense and defense from both wings. Other than that, he has an impressive drop shot in his arsenal as well!

Conversely, Ruud is known for his solid baseline game, particularly on clay, where he has achieved his most significant success. The 26-year-old has won 11 out of his 12 titles on clay. The Norwegian heavily relies on his powerful forehand, a key weapon in his arsenal, and a one-handed backhand that he has developed into a reliable shot.

Ruud’s calm demeanor and consistent play separate him from the other players on the Tour. He hits his forehand with a heavy topspin and also has an incredible serve, especially on clay. But in the last two matches, he has struggled a bit with his serves, committing 9 double faults in just two matches.

However, if he manages to keep things tidy against Rune in this epic duel, Ruud should be able to secure a victory in a tight three-setter.