Sportmaster International

Barcelona - Rafael Nadal won an all-Spanish battle 7-5, 6-1 over fifth seed David Ferrer on Saturday to claim his 71st straight match on clay and a trip into the final of the Barcelona Open. The 20-year-old two-time French Open champion will play Argentine Guillermo Canas on Sunday. The 12th seed Canas won his third straight match against Argentine compatriot Agustin Calleri 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 in their semi- final. Nadal, the world number 2 who completed a Monte Carlo trophy hat- trick last weekend, is bidding to keep the trophy at the

Real club in local hands. Spaniards have won the four and five of the last six editions. ‘To be in a third final is so great,’ said Nadal. ‘I’m so happy I could do it again. ‘I know that sometime my streak can end,’ said the Spaniard, level with Serb Novak Djokovic on an ATP-leading 26 victories in 2007. ‘But I can’t think about anything except playing my matches and trying to win. Beating David was important. ‘He’s tough and one of the best of the clay players.’ The winner stands a career 2-0 over Canas, winning both of their matches - on clay - in 2005. Nadal struggled with serve in the opening set before taking it in 57 minutes. But he wasted no time in the second set, laying on three more breaks of the Argentine to make it a rout. Nadal stands 15-1 at the tournament, his long loss coming against Alex Corretja the 2003 second round. Canas is now a difficult victory away from a second title this season after winning on clay two months ago in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. ‘To play against Nadal) is great,’ said the Argentine. ‘I’ve lost to him twice but I hope it will be different this time. I’m glad to be in another final.’ But the 29-year-old who is back and thriving after serving a ban for a positive drugs (diuretic) test in 2005, will have a tough ask to lift another title. Last month on American hardcourt, the South American served notice that he intends to be a force, defeating Roger Federer twice in two events. He lost to Djokovic in the Miami final. Canas needed almost three hours to subdue the persistent Calleri, who now stands 2-3 in their series which began six years ago. The seed lost an early break but was able to roll through a first- set tie-breaker. But Calleri answered as he denied his countryman a straight-sets victory in the second set, saving two match points in the tenth game and eventually forcing another decider. The unseeded challenger ranked 34th squared the contest at a set each but lost momentum in the third as Canas took a 3-0 lead. The pair traded a final set of breaks in the sixth and seventh games before Canas secured the marathon win on his third match point two games later. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur