(MENAFN- Kora) Pablo Andujar stunned Nadal in the opening set of Saturday's semi-final in Rio de Janeiro but could not match the world number one for the rest of the match, losing 2-6 6-3 7-6 (12-10)
Nadal will face Alexandr Dolgopolov in the final after the Ukrainian upset world number four David Ferrer 6-4 6-4 in the other semi-final
Having levelled his semi-final at a set apiece, Nadal looked set to cruise to victory when he broke Andujar in the seventh game only for the world number 40 to break straight back
The next four games went the way of the server before both players lost their way in the tie-break with the opening five points going against serve
After 22 points in the tie-break, Nadal finally clinched victory on his fourth match point, after also surviving two for Andujar, to move into Sunday's final
In the other semi-final, Dolgopolov had the majority of the three breaks in the first set as the Ukrainian came from 2-1 down to lead 4-3 before serving out for the first set in the 10th game
The world number 54 picked up where he left off in the second, breaking Ferrer in the first game and going on to secure a 5-4 lead
Despite wasting two match points in the ninth game, Dolgopolov kept his composure to book a place in the final, where he will target a third career singles title - winning his previous two in 2011 and 2012
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