British No 2 Dan Evans was beaten in straight sets by defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open.
The top-seeded Alcaraz saw off Evans 6-2 6-2 in one hour and 20 minutes to book a meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s final.
Alcaraz, last year’s US Open champion, will be seeking his ninth career title and third of the year after triumphing in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells.
The 19-year-old Spaniard is 3-0 against Tsitsipas over his career, including a three-set victory in the Barcelona quarter-finals last year.
Alcaraz, who has not dropped a set over his four wins in the tournament, said: “Of course, how you reach a final is important for your confidence, and I head into tomorrow with a great feeling.
“Even so, we can’t just rely on how I have played and know that it will be a tough game.”
“Even so, we can’t just rely on how I have played and know that it will be a tough game.”