Monday 23 February 2015 15:05, UK
Rafa Nadal lost his first semi-final on clay for 12 years as Fabio Fognini booked a place in the final of the Rio Open.
The Spaniard, who was the reigning champion at Jockey Club Brasileiro, looked to be cruising to victory as he won the opening set, but Italian No 1 Fognini came storming back to triumph 1-6 6-2 7-5.
The fourth seed wrapped up the victory in two hours and 17 minutes with his third match point to record his first win in five matches against world No 3 Nadal.
I'm really happy about this match. I beat the best player on this surface.
"I'm really happy about this match. I beat the best player on this surface," said world No 28 Fognini.
"Rafa is always difficult. From the second set I played really well, and I tried to change a little bit to be more positive on court."
Fognini, aiming to win a fifth ATP Tour title, will now face Nadal's compatriot David Ferrer in Sunday's final.
"I'm super happy, and obviously I will have to battle David, who has always beaten me. I will obviously be happy if I win. If I lose, I will also leave with the good memories from this week in Rio," added the Italian.
Second-seed Ferrer came through a comfortable last-four clash against Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer 7-5 6-1.
The women's final will be contested by top-seed Sara Errani and rising star Anna Schmiedlova after they won their respective semi-finals on Saturday.
Errani, who has only dropped one set in Brazil this week, needed just under 90 minutes to overcome Sweden's Johanna Larsson 7-5 6-3.
The Italian, who had not dropped a set in five previous meetings with Larsson, was in trouble at 3-0 down in the second set, but she reeled off six games in a row to claim the win.
"I think I was just a little bit more consistent and a little bit more aggressive today," Errani said. "It was a much different match than the one I played yesterday - but I was still fighting for every point and trying my best, and I'm glad I could make it through to the final here in Rio."
Slovakian Schmiedlova, 20, upset second-seed Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3 4-6 6-2 after two hours and 43 minutes.
"I was playing well in the first set. The second set was tough, but I'm glad I was able to start playing better again in the third set and win the match," she said.
