French Open champion Gaston Gaudio continued his excellent run by a comprehensive 6-2, 6-3 quarter-final win over Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal in Gastad of Sweden on Friday.

Playing his first tournament since fracturing a bone in his left foot in April, the Spaniard struggled to find depth in his normally powerful shots.

Argentine Gaudio took control from the outset by breaking Nadal twice in the opening set. Nadal kept pace in the second set until 3-3 but Gaudio proved too strong as he bagged three games in a row to clinch the match.

In the semi-finals Gaudio takes on Swedish hope Robin Soderling, who prevented the tournament from becoming an all-South American affair by beating fourth-seeded Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-7, 6-2.

Defending champion Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina outclassed Spaniard Alberto Martin 6-1, 6-2 for a place in the last four against Chilean sixth seed Fernando Gonzalez, who disposed of Argentine Juan Monaco 6-4, 6-4.

Source: Xinhua