Giraldo, Nishikori to contest Barcelona Open final

MADRID: Colombian Santiago Giraldo beat Rafael Nadal´s conqueror Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-3 at the Barcelona Open on Saturday to reach just his second ever ATP final.

Almagro had described his win over Nadal, an eight-time champion in Barcelona, on Friday as possibly a turning point in his career. However, the Spaniard was unable to find the same form against the world number 65 as one break in the 11th game was enough to give Giraldo the first set. The second set was a tale of missed opportunities for Almagro as he could only convert one of five break points and was broken twice himself as Giraldo sealed victory in an hour and 26 minutes.

Japan´s Kei Nishikori will be Giraldo´s opponent in the final as he continued his fine form this season with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Latvian Ernests Gulbis.

Nishikori, playing for the first time on clay under new coach and former French Open champion Michael Chang, was dominant on serve throughout and never faced a break point on his way to sealing victory. "I was very happy to see lots of Japanese people congratulating me after the match," said the world number 17. "I love coming to Spain to play. There have not been any easy matches. I am playing great and I am particularly pleased with my serve and forehand against (Marin) Cilic (in the quarter-finals) and today." (AFP)

Nadal loses to Almagro in Barcelona

BARCELONA: World number one Rafael Nadal suffered his first defeat in Barcelona since 2003 on Friday when compatriot Nicolas Almagro ended his 41-match winning run in the Spanish city.

Top seed Nadal, the eight-time champion, lost 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to Almagro in a quarter-final lasting 13 minutes short of three hours.

Nadal, who lost in the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals to David Ferrer last week, had last been beaten in Barcelona when he was just 15 years old.

Despite the defeat, 27-year-old Nadal refused to panic with the defence of his French Open crown starting in just a month´s time.

He said losing a tennis match was nothing in comparison to the death of former Barcelona football coach Tito Vilanova who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 45 on Friday.

"To lose is not a drama. What has happened to Tito Vilanova is. We are left with his example and I send my support to his family," said Nadal. He added: "I was better in parts of the match, but sport is like that. It was my turn to lose and I congratulate Nico."

Nadal will next defend his Madrid and Rome Masters claycourt titles -- two of the 10 tournaments he won in 2013 after a seven-month injury lay-off.He could lose his world number one ranking with Novak Djokovic set to pounce."I lacked a bit of intensity at points in the match," added Nadal.

"That is tennis and now I have to suffer for a bit, but keep fighting and think about Madrid." (AFP)

Football: Atletico stun Barcelona, holders Bayern progress

PARIS: Atletico Madrid's resurgence continued on Wednesday just a year after they were forced to sell leading scorer Radamel Falcao to reduce their huge debts as they eliminated Barcelona to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

A goal by Koke - who has been with the club since he was eight years old - saw them deservedly beat Barcelona 1-0 on the night and progress 2-1 on aggregate and perhaps also register a changing of the guard at the top of Spanish and European football.

Bayern Munich - bidding to become the first team to successfully defend their title - also reached the last four beating Manchester United 3-1, to go through 4-2 on aggregate.

They join United's Premier League rivals Chelsea - who beat Paris Saint Germain on Tuesday - and Atletico's city rivals Real, victors over last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund, in Friday's draw.

Atletico - who last beat Barcelona four years ago - came roaring out of the blocks and got the only goal of the game through Koke, his first in this season's tournament, in the fifth minute.

Atletico, who are also top of La Liga in a three way battle with Barca and Real, could have been 3-0 up after fifteen minutes as former Barcelona striker David Villa hit the woodwork on two occasions.

Barcelona were largely contained by Atletico and star player Lionel Messi had an especially torrid night as he failed to score against Atletico for the sixth successive game.

For Atletico coach Diego Simeone - who last year was forced to sell Falcao for 60 million euros ($83 million) when their debt was officially estimated at 170 million euros but some experts said it was up to 300 million euros - it was another significant victory.

"We maintain the same humility. We understand that the other teams (in the semi-finals) have been there far more than Atletico Madrid," said the 43-year-old, who was a bundle of energy on the touchline urging the crowd to raise the noise level and continually making the sign of the cross.

"We are there 40 years later and we believe in what we are doing." It is the second time that Atletico and Real have reached the semi-finals of European club football's most prestigious tournament in the same season - 1959 being the previous occasion, and is is only the fourth time clubs from the same city have reached the last four.

AC Milan and Inter Milan in 2003 and London duo Arsenal and Chelsea in 2009 being the others. For 22-year-old Koke, who made his senior debut aged just 17, it was an especially emotional night.

"The team were spectacular in this game," said Koke.

"This team has no limits and we must keep on making the fans dream." Defeat will heap the pressure on Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino, but Simeone's compatriot was not focussing on that.

"Of course we feel bad about this defeat," he said.

"However, while we can't win three trophies I don't think this defeat will affect us on the other two fronts. We still have the league, we have a match against Granada on Saturday, and the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid next Wednesday." While Bayern dominated possession it was United who took the lead through a spectacular long range effort from an unlikely source French fullback Patrice Evra.

However, their joy was not to last long as Bayern went down the other end and Mario Mandzukic headed an equaliser.

Further goals from Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben ensured their place in the last four.

"The first ten minutes after the break were a catastrophe for us as they took the lead," said Robben.

"It was important that we got the equaliser quickly, now we have just one more opponent before the Lisbon final." For United manager David Moyes it will do little to allay speculation over his future which will see the team end without silverware and even struggling to qualify for next season's Europa League.

"I thought the players did a great job tonight, the only crime was that we let them equalise just a few seconds later," said Moyes.

"We contained them for long periods of time, but it wasn't to be."