Giraldo Maintains Fine Form; Fognini Escapes 'Ugly' Situation

© Movistar Open/Jim RydellSantiago Giraldo is through to his second ATP World Tour semi-final of the season.

Eighth seed Santiago Giraldo maintained his fine form as he reached his second ATP World Tour semi-final of the season Friday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fourth seed Juan Ignacio Chela in the quarter-finals of the Movistar Open, the first clay-court event of the Latin American ‘Golden Swing’.

The Colombian, who also reached the last four in Auckland (l. to Ferrer) and the quarter-finals in Brisbane (l. to Anderson), improved to a 9-3 match record on the season after converting four of 10 break points to dismiss Chela in 85 minutes.

“Chela is a player with lots of experience; he was looking for different solutions all the time during the match," Giraldo said. "It was very complicated at the beginning but I tried to stay consistent. Once I found my rhythm I looked to play more aggressively and it helped me in the important points in each set... I worked really hard in the off season and I think it is paying off in these first weeks of the year.”

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Giraldo next meets Potito Starace, one of two Italians who edged out South Americans Friday in third-set tie-breaks to reach the semi-finals. Starace took out unseeded Argentine Horacio Zeballos, the 2009 ATP Newcomer Of The Year, 6-7(9), 6-3, 7-6(2) in 2 hrs., 42 mins. Starace reached the Sydney quarter-finals in the second week of the season.

“I know I will have a difficult match against Giraldo tomorrow," Starace said. "He is playing well, having good results lately but my confidence was boosted after winning today 7-6 in the third against Zeballos. It would be amazing to win tomorrow and have an all-Italian final against Fabio on Sunday as he is a great friend.”

Fabio Fognini reached the last four of an ATP World Tour event for the first time since July 2009 (Stuttgart) when he upset third-seeded Brazilian and defending champion Thomaz Bellucci 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(0). “I am very happy about my match today because I didn’t give up," Fognini said. "I started badly and then turned things around and was up 4-0 in the third. My level went down and things got ugly. He earned confidence and was able to come back to 5-4 in the third.  I dedicate this victory to my coach who couldn’t be here because he just became a dad and to my father, this victory is for both of them.”

For a place in the final, the Fognini will play sixth seed Tommy Robredo, who  saved all three break points he faced in a 6-3, 6-1 win over Argentine Maximo Gonzalez. The Spaniard, who dropped just five points on his first serve, has not reached a final since the Golden Swing two years ago. In 2009 Robredo won consecutive titles in Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires.

Although he finished 2010 in the Top 50 for the 10th consecutive season, Robredo failed to win a title in a season for the first time since 2005, and his total of 20 match wins was his fewest since 2000. After reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open two weeks ago, Robredo cut his South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking from 52 to 40 this week.

“It was a quick match," Robredo said. "Even if it seemed an easy match with the score, the beginning was tough until 3-3 in the first set. We both had our opportunities to break. Once I won the first, I felt more confident and was able to play without any pressure. Tomorrow will be tough. I may be fresher physically since I played two sets and he won 7-6 in the third today but other than that it will be a tough match.”