Top seed Rafael Nadal notched up his 71st consecutive win on clay on Saturday when he beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 7-5, 6-1 to reach the Barcelona Open final.
The world number two struggled for his usual consistency in swirling winds but was too strong for Ferrer, advancing to a final against 12th seeded Argentine Guillermo Canas, who outlasted compatriot Agustin Calleri 7-6, 6-7, 6-2.
Nadal said: "This was my most difficult match of the (claycourt) season. The first set was really tough. The key to winning was to find the rhythm in my forehand.
"David is very quick and one of the best players in the world, especially on this surface."
Victory for Nadal on Sunday would make him only the second man after Swede Mats Wilander to win the title in three successive years.
Fifth seed Ferrer matched Nadal in the early stages and, having been broken in the seventh game, hit back immediately to level at 4-4.
At 5-4 and 30-30 on Nadal's serve, Ferrer was just two points away from the first set but Nadal held on and then broke in the 11th game before serving out for the set.
After that, though Ferrer continued to battle, Nadal was always in control and he broke three times in the second set to claim his place in the final.
Canas needed almost three hours to get the better of Calleri in a match which saw the 12th seed have treatment for cramp in his right forearm, which affected his grip on the forehand.
The Argentine, who beat Roger Federer twice on hard courts last month, should have wrapped up the match in the second set but double-faulted on his second match point.
Instead, he needed a third set, but in the end his greater resilience, consistency and fitness eventually wore his compatriot down.
Calleri recovered from 3-0 down to be on serve at 3-2 behind in the third set, but Canas broke and repeated the feat two games later to clinch victory.
"To be in another final is really good," Canas said. "To play against (Nadal) is great. He beat me twice before, so this time I hope it's going to be different."
