Nadal, Montanes Construct All-Spanish Final at Acapulco

No. 8 seed Rafael Nadal stopped the Cinderella run of Argentine wildcard Mariano Puerta 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals at the ATP stop in Acapulco, setting up the championship match against Spanish countryman Al Montanes.

It was the ninth consecutive claycourt win for Nadal, who last week won the Brazil Open in Costa Do Sauipe.

Puerta had previously upset Spaniards Carlos Moya and Felix Mantilla en route to the semis.

"Rafael is a young kid with a lot of energy," said Puerta, going to the old-man card. "I was coming off two previous matches that were very, very hard."

Montanes reached the final by outlasting Argentina's Agustin Calleri 7-6(3), 1-6, 7-6(4).

Nadal has beaten Montanes twice on the challenger circuit, but they have never faced-off in tour-level play.

"In the finals, there is no favorite," Nadal said. "One day I will lose to Montanes. I just hope it's not on Saturday."

The Acapulco doubles final will be all-unseeded in Spaniards Ferrer/Ventura vs. Czechs Vanek/Zib.