Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sports Network) - Top-seeded and defending champion
David Ferrer rolled into the finals at the clay-court Copa Claro tennis
event on Saturday.
One day after the world No. 4 Spanish star whipped sixth-seeded Italian
Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-1 in 75 minutes, he dispatched countryman Tommy Robredo
by a 6-3, 6-2 count in 78 minutes to gain the title match.
Ferrer, who led the ATP with seven titles last year, beat 2011 champion
Nicolas Almagro in last year's all-Spanish final in this Argentine
capital and was the Buenos Aires runner-up in 2010.
The former Buenos Aires champ Robredo pasted German qualifier Julian
Reister 6-3, 6-2 on Friday to gain the semis.
Almagro, the second seed in this year's event, advanced to Saturday's
later semifinal after needing just an hour and 10 minutes to dispose of
Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-1, 7-6 (7-3). The world No. 11 ripped off
eight aces and won 73 percent of his first serves while never facing a
break point for the match.
His victory sets up a matchup with third-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka, with the
Swiss veteran ousting eighth-seeded Albert Ramos 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to reach his
first semifinal on the tour this season.
This week's champ will pocket $84,550.
The Sports Network