Sportmaster International

Barcelona, Spain - Rafael Nadal extended his record clay-court winning streak to 70 matches on Friday, while second-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko pulled out due to an injury at the $1 million Open Seat 2007 tennis event.The top-seeded Nadal, fresh off his title last week at the Monte Carlo Masters, handled Italian Potito Starace 6-2, 7-5 to set-up a semifinal clash with his fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. Nadal was solid in his first two matches this week, but he faced four break points in the second set on Day 5 and was broken while serving

for the match against Starace.The two-time French Open champion Nadal topped world No. 1 superstar Roger Federer in last week’s marquee finale at Monte Carlo and is the reigning two-time Barcelona champ, having beaten Tommy Robredo in last year’s all- Spanish final here at Barcelona Tennis Club.A fifth-seeded Ferrer reached the final four by ousting fourth-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.Surging Argentine Guillermo Canas received a walkover into the semis, as his scheduled quarterfinal opponent, Davydenko, pulled out with a wrist injury. The 12th-seeded Canas, who recently stunned the great Federer two times in as many back-to-back Masters Series events, was a runner-up at the Miami Masters earlier this month.Up next for Canas will be his 15th-seeded fellow Argentine Agustin Calleri, an easy 6-0, 6-3 winner over Spaniard Oscar Hernandez.Barcelona serves as a tune-up for the French Open, which will commence late next month in Paris.© 2007 The Sports Network