Spanish seeds (3)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (d. Starace) and (5)
Carlos Moya (d. countryman (LL) Ramirez Hidalgo) recorded straight-set victories Friday on the dirt at the ATP stop in Buenos Aires to advance to a blockbuster semifinal meeting on Saturday at the Copa Telmex.
"There were some moments of tension," said Ferrero, who was kept out on the court nearing the two-hour mark by Starace. "But in the end, you just have to stay calm."
Ferrero leads the career head-to-head 7-4 against his countryman, though Moya has the momentum with the last two wins, in 2005 on hardcourt at the Masters Series-Indian Wells, and then on clay at Estoril.
In other semifinal action No. 6 seed
Filippo Volandri beat Serb
Boris Pashanski in straights, and Argentine
Agustin Calleri took out hot-handed countryman and No. 4 seed
Jose Acasuso 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Saturday's semifinal match-ups are (3) Ferrero vs. (5) Moya, and (6) Volandri vs. Calleri.
"I just hope it goes my way," Ferrero told the Buenos Aires fans on facing Moya. "So everyone out there, cheer for me tomorrow."
