Spanish duo through
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ByEurosport
Published 22/04/2005 at 15:04 GMT
An almost embarrassed Rafael Nadal cruised into the semi-finals on Friday as opponent Agustin Calleri retired from their quarter-final trailing 3-0 in the second set. Earlier, Juan Carlos Ferrero eased into the last four with a win over Gaston Gaudio and
Eurosport
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Nadal eased into the last four of the 850,000 euro claycourt tournament when Calleri retired with back problems after losing the first set 6-2 and trailing 3-0 in the second.
The 18-year-old, who became the youngest winner of a Master Series tournament in 15 years with last week's victory in Monte Carlo, proved too powerful for the Argentine who was suffering the after-effects of three exhausting matches.
"I'm delighted with the way I'm playing at the moment," said Nadal, who enjoyed back-to-back claycourt victories in Brazil and Mexico this year. "I've had an incredible two months and just hope I can now continue that by reaching the final here."
Nadal faces Radek Stepanek in the semis. The Czech ended Swiss qualifier Stanislav Wawrinka's fine run when he came from a set down to win 3-6 6-3 6-2.
SUPERB DISPLAY
Fellow Spaniard Ferrero needed three sets to beat Gaston Gaudio 6/4 4/6 6/3 in Barcelona's first quarter final.
The Spaniard showed he is recovering the sort of form that saw him win the French Open in 2003 with a superb display of claycourt tennis against the second seeded Argentine, who succeeded him as champion at Roland Garros.
Ferrero edged an evenly balanced first set after earning himself a break point in the 10th game with a delicate drop volley and then finished off with a clever crosscourt winner.
Gaudio, the only one of the top six seeds to make it into the quarter-finals, fought back hard to claim a 4-0 lead at the start of the second set and although Ferrero pulled it back to 5-4 he wrapped up with a confident service game.
Neither player gave any quarter in the decisive third set, trading a succession of powerful ground strokes during the course of some lengthy rallies.
But a highly-focused Ferrero stretched his opponent around the court and gained the crucial breakthrough in the eighth game, breaking to go 5-3 up when he forced Gaudio into a forehand error and the Argentine then double faulted.
Gaudio saved three match points, but Ferrero earned himself a fourth with a sizzling running pass and the world number eight finally succumbed when he put his return into the net.
Seventh seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko tamed big-serving Belarussian Max Mirnyi 6-4 6-4 with another controlled performance to earn his place in the semi-finals against Ferrero.
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