Spaniards Nadal, Ferrero Into Semifinals at ATP Barcelona

No. 58-ranked Juan Carlos Ferrero, unseeded this week at the ATP stop in Barcelona, received another confidence boost in his quest to rejoin the Top 10 on Friday with a gritty 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, victory over current French Open holder Gaston Gaudio.

"I was playing against one of the best claycourt players in the world and felt very good," said the formerly No. 1-ranked Ferrero, who broke Gaudio in the eighth game of the final set. "It was a great game and I feel very happy with my form at the moment."

The No. 2-seeded Gaudio saved three match points before Ferrero drew the Argentine to the net then flicked a passing shot to set up a fourth m.p., finishing with a service winner.

No. 8 seed Rafael Nadal made two Spaniards in the semis, defeating unseeded Argentine Agustin Calleri who retired trailing 2-6, 0-3 with a back injury.

"I'm delighted with the way I'm playing at the moment," said Nadal, attempting to reach his fifth final in his last six events. "I've had an incredible two months and just hope I can now continue that by reaching the final here."

Also into the semis were No. 7 seed Nikolay Davydenko who stopped the unlikely run of serve-and-volleyer Max Mirnyi in straight sets, and No. 11 Radek Stepanek who ended another miracle run, that of Swiss qualifier Stanislas Wawrinka, coming from a set down for the win.

"I'm very steady on all surfaces but I think this is my best claycourt result of my career for sure," Stepanek said. "I'm looking forward to trying to get to the end and will do my best. (Semifinal opponent) Nadal is playing incredible for three weeks now. I think he's the toughest on clay at the moment but everyone is expecting him to win which will play to my advantage."

Saturday's semifinal match-ups will be (7) Davydenko vs. Ferrero (Spaniard leads career meetings 1-0), and (8) Nadal vs. (11) Stepanek (Nadal leads 1-0), with all of Spain watering at the mouth over a potential Nadal vs. Ferrero final.

The doubles semis will be Spaniards Lopez/Nadal vs. Czechs (5) Suk/Vizner, and (4) Aspelin/Perry vs. (2) Paes/Zimonjic.