Hot Nadal eases into last four

BEIJING, May 4 -- Rafael Nadal survived an early scare at the Barcelona Open on Friday to beat Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 6-4, 6-2 for a place in the semifinals.

The top seed, trying to win the title for the fourth successive time, looked off-color early on to trail 2-4 but roared back to clinch the match.

He will next meet unseeded German Denis Gremelmayr, who edged out another Spaniard, 10th seed Nicolas Almagro 6-2, 3-6, 7-6.

Nadal conceded just four games to the Argentine the last time they met but Chela began superbly, taking risks and putting the top seed under rare pressure.

Chela broke the Nadal serve to love to lead 4-2 but the match effectively hinged on an epic seventh game.

Chela had five chances to extend his lead to 5-2 but Nadal suddenly sprung to life, taking his third break-point chance to get back on terms.

"If it had gone to 5-2 it would have been very difficult to win the first set," Nadal said in a courtside interview.

Second seed David Ferrer came through his second tough battle in as many days to reach the semi-finals, beating Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo 7-6 (4), 6-4.

The world No. 5, pushed hard by Ecuadorian Nicolas Lapentti in the previous round, battled past the sixth seed in two hours, five minutes.

He will play 14th seed Stanislas Wawrinka for a place in the final after the Swiss fought off the challenge of another Spaniard, Albert Montanes, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

In Munich, Younes El Aynaoui became the oldest semifinalist on the ATP Tour in 15 years when he beat Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina 6-4, 6-4 on Friday to reach the last four at the BMW Open.

The Moroccan, at 36 years and seventh months, became the oldest semifinalist on the tour since Jimmy Connors played in the last four in San Francisco in 1993 at the age of 40 years and five months.

El Aynaoui, ranked No. 295, next plays second-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, who is looking for his second title of the year. Gonzalez beat Marat Safin 6-3, 7-5.