Nadal survives Chela challenge

Spaniard chalks up 101st clay court win to reach semi-final.

Rafael Nadal survived an early scare at the Barcelona Open on Friday to beat Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 6-4, 6-2 for a place in the semi-finals. The top seed, trying to win the title for the fourth successive time, looked off-colour early on to trail 4-2 but roared back to clinch the match.

He will next meet either another Spaniard, 10th seed Nicolas Almagro, or unseeded German Denis Gremelmayr.

Nadal conceded just four games to the Argentine the last time they met but Chela began superbly, taking risks and putting the top seed under rare pressure. Chela broke the Nadal serve to love to lead 4-2 but the match effectively hinged on an epic seventh game.

Chances missed

Chela had five chances to extend his lead to 5-2 but Nadal suddenly sprung to life, taking his third break-point chance to get back on terms. He broke again two games later before serving out the set and after breaking the Argentine in the first game of the second set, he eased to victory.

8220;If it had gone to 5-2 it would have been very difficult to win the first set,8221; Nadal said in a courtside interview. 8220;But getting back to 4-3 gave me a lot of confidence.8221;

Second seed David Ferrer came through his second tough battle in as many days to reach the semi-finals, beating Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo 7-6, 6-4.

The world number five battled past the sixth seed in a match lasting two hours, five minutes. He will play 14th seed Stanislas Wawrinka for a place in the final after the Swiss fought off the challenge of another Spaniard, Albert Montanes, 6-3 6-7 6-4.

Oldest semi-finalist in 15 years

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In Munich, Younes El Aynaoui became the oldest semi-finalist on the ATP Tour in 15 years when he beat Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 6-4, 6-4 to reach the last four at the BMW Open.

El Aynaoui next plays second-seeded Fernando Gonzalez who beat Marat Safin 6-3, 7-5. Top-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu of France defeated eight-seeded Marin Cilic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to set up a semi-final against Italy8217;s Simone Bolelli, a 6-4, 7-6 3 winner over Lee Hyung-taik.