Rafa Nadal’s below-par season has continued with the former world number one dumped from the Rio Open semi-finals with a 6-7(6) 7-6(3) 6-4 defeat by unseeded Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas on Saturday.
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Ukraine’s Dolgopolov was forced to withdraw due to a right shoulder injury.
Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to Nicolas Almagro of Spain, during a Rio Open tennis match, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016.
His opponent Pablo Cuevas comes into this game after beating Argentinian Federico Delbonis 6-4, 7-6(4), in a match that was delayed for two hours and thirty minutes.
Seeded second, Ferrer overcame the loss of the opening set to beat fellow countryman Albert Ramos 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 and set up a meeting with Thiem – the tournament victor in Buenos Aires last week – in the last eight.
David Ferrer’s defence of the Rio Open was ended at the quarter-final stage as he was soundly beaten in straight sets by Dominic Thiem.
Cuevas will face Guido Pella in Sunday’s decider after the Argentine eased through in straight-sets against Dominic Thiem in the other semi-final.
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In another upset in the tournament, Sorana Cirstea of Romania defeated third seed Danka Kovinic 6-1, 6-2 to eliminate the last seeded player from the tournament.
