MALLORCA, December 17, 2016

After a rain-interrupted Friday at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, the singles semi-finals of the RFET Mapfre Spanish National Tennis Championships are set. In the men’s competition, top seed and 2007 runner-up Albert Ramos from Barcelona edged past Carlos Taberner of Valencia, winning 7-6, 6-3. Next up for Ramos will be 38-year-old Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo, who defeated teenager Pedro Martínez Portero 6-2, 6-1.

There were no surprises in in the bottom half of the draw, as Pablo Carreno-Busta and Roberto Carballés-Baena will square off in the semi-final. The Gijón native beat Pablo Vivero from Madrid 6-4, 6-3. In a battle between the last two runners-up, Carballés-Baena had to fight hard to overcome local favourite Jaume Munar. The 23-year-old from Tenerife won 7-6, 2-6, 6-3.

Tita Torró Takes Out Laura Pous

In the women’s competition, three time Spanish Champion Laura Pous fell to Tita Torró 6-4, 6-3. It was the last match for the Barcelona resident, who ends her professional career. Torró will next face Sara Sorribes, who outlasted 2006 runner-up Estrella Cabeza from Sevilla, winning 6-4, 2-6, 7-6.

Top seed and 2014 champion, Lara Arruabarrena, sealed a 75, 6-1 victory over Olga Sáez from Madrid. She will next take on Silvia Soler. The Alicante native defeated 16-year-old Paula Arias in an exciting encounter 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.

Rafael Nadal and Marc López (photo: RFET)

Nadal And López Advance To Doubles Final

While women’s doubles competition has been postponed to Saturday, in men’s doubles semis, Rafael Nadal and Marc López, eased past Rubén Ramírez and David Vega 6-2 6-1. The match was held indoors and ended close to midnight. In Saturday’s final, the Olympic champions will face Jordi Muñoz Abreu and David Pérez Sanz.