SABADELL, September 30, 2017

Sergio Gutiérrez-Ferrol and Albert Alcaraz Ivorra headlined Saturday’s semi-final action at the $25,000 BBVA Ciutat de Sabadell with a marathon match lasting almost three and a half hour.

Albert Alcaraz Ivorra

In a highly emotional topsy-turvy encounter between the two Spaniards, Gutiérrez-Ferrol rallied back from a 0-3 deficit and two breaks down in the final set to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory. The 28-year-old player from the Tennis Club Barcino broke serve six times and eventually won four points more than his opponent to prevail after three hours and 24 minutes.

Gutiérrez-Ferrol, 2010 champion in Sabadell, is trying to repeat his triumph on Sunday against Steve Diez. The fourth seed from Canada edged past Pascal Brunner of Austria 6-1, 7-5. Diez, who has returned to the ITF Pro Circuit for the first time since April last year, converted four of his six break point chances to advance to his first title match since the 2016 Moscow Challenger.

Gutiérrez-Ferrol and Diez will meet for the sixth time. The unseeded Spaniard is leading 4-1 in head-to-head records. Their last match is dated back to the year 2013 with Diez winning in straight sets. The 26-year-old Toronto native could clinch his first title of the season. Gutiérrez-Ferrol eyes lifting his third trophy in 2017.