Musetti brushes Moutet aside to reach Barcelona quarter-finals, Rublev also through

[p]The world number nine will face rising French star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a] in the last eight after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/moutet-c-bX0EWcV9/musetti-l-xtH2ODVI/?mid=jy1m6J8O"]a 6-3, 6-4 win[/a].[/p][p][b]He is the highest remaining seed left in Barcelona after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] pulled out of the tournament on Wednesday with a wrist injury.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/musetti-lorenzo/xtH2ODVI/"]Musetti[/a] impressed on clay last season, reaching at least the semi-finals in the ATP 1000 events in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, as well as at the French Open.[/p][p]But he has struggled for form and fitness this year and is still without an ATP title since 2022.[/p][embed guid="23d3f859-fb31-438b-bab5-4fcd07447725" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2044807516257714231" social-type="twitter" /][p]Musetti had lost in his opening matches at both Indian Wells and the Monte Carlo Masters, after being forced to retire injured from his Australian Open quarter-final against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] in January.[/p][p]But after beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/landaluce-martin/AoOnGZEp/"]Martin Landaluce[/a] for his first win since Melbourne on Tuesday, he was in fine fettle against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moutet-corentin/bX0EWcV9/"]Moutet[/a] and much too strong for his 31st-ranked opponent.[/p][p]Earlier Thursday, Russian fifth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rublev-andrey/AeAn4gP0/"]Andrey Rublev[/a] saw off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sonego-lorenzo/zVuMEJTT/"]Lorenzo Sonego[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/rublev-a-AeAn4gP0/sonego-l-zVuMEJTT/?mid=OKVoevG5"]6-2, 6-3[/a] to set up a quarter-final meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/machac-tomas/S44E7UYr/"]Tomas Machac[/a], the beneficiary of Alcaraz's withdrawal.[/p][p]In the day's last match, ninth seed Fils defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nakashima-brandon/ETGnbrpH/"]Brandon Nakashima[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/nakashima-b-ETGnbrpH/?mid=tIJGr3WO"]6-2, 6-3[/a].[/p][embed guid="52957c16-b7d7-4d82-ab76-fb7d7c5982aa" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2044769056247464141" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/barcelona/"]Follow the Barcelona Open with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]