MONTEVIDEO, November 19, 2016

The semi-finals of the $50,000 Uruguay Open, held on clay courts at the Carrasco Lawn Tennis Club are set. Christian Garin caused the upset of the day, knocking out the tournament’s number one Nicolas Almagro of Spain with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory on Friday.

The 20-year-old from Chile, who recently split with his Spanish coach Javier Duarte, withstood 10 aces from the World No. 44, who entered the ATP Challenger event with a wild card, hit eight of his own and broke serve three times to prevail after two hours and three minuts.

“This has been my most important victory so far, as Nicolas is a former Top 10 player,” Garin was happy afterwards. The Santiago native, who practices and lives in Spain, will next face sixth seed Rogerio Dutra Silva. The 32-year-old from Brazil rallied from a set down to overcome the tournament’s number three Horacio Zeballos from Argentina 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 53 minutes.

Two more Argentines will appear in the semi-finals, as second favourite Diego Schwartzman beat his fellow countryman Nicolas Kicker 6-4, 7-6. Schwartzman won 53 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and 45 minutes. The World No. 58 from Buenos Aires will next take on Carlos Berlocq. The veteran fought past Spaniard Inigo Cervantes, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 30 minutes.