Nadal to meet Raonic in Barcelona Open semis; Robredo dumps Berdych

Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against his compatriot Albert Ramos

Barcelona taught us a little something on Friday – the morning, it seems, isn’t Rafael Nadal’s favourite time to be on a tennis court battling foes. The Majorcan seemed all at sea in the morning against Benoit Paire before collecting himself to enjoy a rather smooth ride through the rest of the day. In a match of two parts, Nadal took control in the first set tiebreaker before overwhelming Paire 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach the quarters. With rain washing off much of Thursday, Nadal and Albert Ramos-Vinolas – who beat Kei Nishikori in another third round match – had to return to the court and play for a second time. Eager to preserve himself for the weekend, Nadal made short work of his compatriot 6-3, 6-0 to secure his spot in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

The promise of a Nishikori – Nadal quarterfinal was laid to waste by an efficient Ramos, who cleared the path for his countryman with a clinically narrow 6-4, 7-6(4) victory in an hour and 43 minutes. Unfortunately for Ramos, that did not earn him any favours from his ruthless opponent in the quarters, who packed him out of Barcelona with a crushing defeat that ended with the world No.5 winning seven games in a row. By the end of the match, Nadal was literally toying with his opponent, controlling points with his lethal forehand.

“I played much better this afternoon than in the morning,” Nadal said. “I’m very happy to be in the semi-finals another time in a very important tournament. I’m enjoying the week playing here. I love the tournament. I know everybody well. It feels like home, always.”

In the semis, Nadal will face Milos Raonic – the Canadian came through an intensely competitive quarter-final battle against an energised Tommy Robredo. Raonic needed two hours and 23 minutes to subdue the Spaniard 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(2) to set up a date with the deity of red dirt. Just a few hours earlier, Robredo enjoyed his biggest success in more than two years when he made a remarkable turn to oust Tomas Berdych 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 in a yo-yo contest lasting two hours and 15 minutes. Berdych courted trouble early in the second set, surrendering a couple of breaks to trail 1-5. But the Czech won four in a row to erase the deficit and edge closer to what might have been a straight set victory.

Robredo halted the march by forcing the tie-breaker, which he took at the third time of asking to push the match into a final set. Berdych compounded his problems by surrendering a break in the first game and Robredo made him pay by breaking again in the ninth game to take the match. The Spaniard appeared on course for a showdown with Nadal, when he took a closely-contested first set in a breaker, before Raonic turned the tide with a break in the fourth game of the second set. The third set was a close affair, both men playing safe and steady, but 30-year-old Robredo ran out of legs in the ensuing tiebreak to surrender tamely towards the end. Raonic had an easy outing in the third round, when he ousted Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 7-6(6) to reach the quarters.

Milos Raonic in action

Nicolas Almagro continued playing flawless tennis as he coasted into the last four, saving all ten break points faced to oust another player in fine form, Juan Monaco, 6-3, 7-5 in an hour and 45 minutes. Philipp Kohlschreiber was spared any exertion when his opponent Thomaz Bellucci withdrew due to an injury without stepping on the court. Earlier in the day, the German began proceedings to complete his spilt-over match from Thursday. Kohlschreiber completed his come-from-behind effort to deny Martin Klizan 1-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) to reach the quarters.

Results

QF (4) N Almagro d. (7) J Monaco 6-3, 7-5

QF (2) R Nadal d. A Ramos 6-3, 6-0

QF P Kohlschreiber d. (16) T Bellucci Walkover

QF M Raonic d. T Robredo 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(2)