ATP/WTA Rio Open: Rafael Nadal through to semi-finals; Sara Errani makes progress

Top-seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal survived a major scare to book his place in the semi-finals of the Rio Open.

The 14-times grand slam winner was caught cold by Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas and went down 4-6 in the opening set at Jockey Club Brasileiro.

It was the first time the world No 3 had dropped a set in the tournament and Cuevas continued to push the Spaniard deep into the second set.

At 5-5, Nadal forced two break points, before sixth-seed Cuevas hauled it back to deuce.

Nadal stood firm to clinch the break, though, and then served out the set 7-5, before completing a nine-game winning streak to take the third set 6-0.

It's a big win for me. I'm in the semi-finals. It's a great result and it gives me confidence.

The match finished at 3:21 in the morning local time - just three minutes short of the latest finish for a non-grand slam match - and Nadal was unhappy at being kept up so late.

"No tennis tournament should end at this time," he said. "It's tough for the players, but maybe worse for the fans.

"It's very bad on the part of the ATP. It's not the tournament's fault. It was the ATP that didn't want to reschedule a match. If it's a Grand Slam you have a day to rest. It's seems like a terrible error to me.

"But it's a big win for me. I'm in the semi-finals. It's a great result and it gives me confidence."

Nadal will now face Italian Fabio Fognini in the last four after the fourth seed edged a three-hour-and-12-minute marathon with Argentinian Federico Delbonis 6-4 6-7 (10-12) 7-6 (11-9).

Fognini, who claimed victory with his ninth match point, told the ATP Tour website: "It's always a tough match against Federico, and this was a crazy match. Now I'm happy, and all I want to do is rest well."

Ferrer through

Second-seed David Ferrer also made it through to the semi-finals of the Rio Open after fending off Juan Monaco in three sets.

The Spaniard, who won his 22nd ATP title earlier this year in Doha, struck 17 winners and converted four out of five break point opportunities to claim a 6-3 4-6 6-2 victory in Brazil.

World No 9 Ferrer will now take on Andreas Haider-Maurer after the Spaniard took two hours and 20 minutes to dispatch home favourite Joao Souza 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 6-4 in a gruelling contest.

Errani progress

In the women's draw top-seeded Sara Errani reached the semi-finals after Sao Paulo native Beatriz Haddad Maia retired in the deciding third set.

Haddad Maia took the first set before stopping play with the score 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 3-0 in Errani's favour.

"She surprised me a lot. I didn't know her game and she's powerful, has an amazing serve and played a great match," Errani told the WTA website.

"It was hard to keep her close in the score and she had match points.

"In the third, she suffered from cramps because we were playing for so long. I feel sorry for her."

Errani will face Sweden's Johanna Larsson in the last four after she rolled past Dinah Pfizenmaier 6-4 6-0.

In five matches against Errani, Larsson is yet to win a set, but she highlighted they have never met on clay before, saying: "She's a player who has a great serve, pretty good forehand. We've played on fast court, but never on the clay."

Second-seeded Irina-Camelia Begu also made the last four, beating Julie Glushko 6-1 6-2 and she will take on Anna Schmiedlova for a place in the final after the Slovakian beat Veronica Cepede Royg 6-3 6-1.