Pablo Carreno Busta rallied from a set and a break down to beat Santiago Giraldo 6-7(4), 7-6(2), 6-3 at the Abierto Mexicano Mifel on Thursday. The Spanish wild card broke serve five times and edged Giraldo in a match which lasted just over three hours in the hot and humid conditions of Los Cabos.

“It was quite a difficult match,” Carreno Busta said. “Santiago was a tough opponent. Things were not looking good after I lost the first set, but I stayed calm and got the win in the end.”

The 25 year old came into the week with just one hard-court win at the ATP World Tour level on the season (d. Donskoy in Indian Wells), but is now a match away from reaching his first tour-level hard-court final. Carreno Busta was runner-up at clay-court ATP World Tour 250 events in Estoril and Sao Paulo earlier this year.

In the semi-finals, Carreno Busta will face top seed Feliciano Lopez or Julien Benneteau.

Indian Duo Into Doubles Semi-Finals

Purav Raja and Divij Sharan saw their opponents Nicholas Monroe and Artem Sitak take the first set of their quarter-final clash 6-1, but recovered to win 1-6, 6-3, 10-7 to move into the semi-finals. The Indian duo claimed 11 of 16 second-serve return points and broke serve three times (3/4) to advance in 74 minutes.

Also victorious were Jonathan Erlich and Ken Skupski, who took out No. 3 seeds Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Mate Pavic 6-4, 1-6, 10-5. Erlich/Skupski saved seven break points (7/11) in the 72-minute encounter.

At 8:00 am on Wednesday, Santiago Giraldo was already up and running along the Sheraton Hotel Beach in Los Cabos. He stopped to take pictures of local sea animals and climb some rock formations. After 20 minutes, it was on to the next activity!

After a quick shower, the Colombian ate breakfast on the hotel terrace overlooking the stunning Pacific Ocean. He ordered papaya, watermelon, kiwi, tortillas, eggs and Tabasco plus tea and water. After, it was time to grab transportation to the tournament site, just ten quick minutes from the hotel.

Jeremy Chardy was Giraldo’s first training partner of the day. The temperature was high at 11:00 am at the Delmar International School, where the tournament venue is located. Between rallies, Giraldo spoke with the Frenchman about the first time they played, and determined it was in 2003 when they were juniors. “You’re too old,” said Chardy’s girlfriend, who was also attending the training session.

An hour later and the first of two practices ends. Giraldo packed everything into his bag, carefully – grooming items, supplements, strings, grips, hearing aids, glasses, a watch, a change of clothes and his seven racquets. One of his racquets has an inspiring message.

Giraldo returned to the hotel, ate soup and rice with chicken for lunch plus a lemon water to drink. He took a 40-minute nap before taking a shower and then finally embarked on another journey to the site. His next training partner was Juan Batalla, a 17-year-old Mexican. “Thank you. Good luck. Always listen your coach,” he recommended to the youngster at the end of the practice. Giraldo then had a couple of hours before his match, which meant it was time to relax and focus in the players’ lounge.

After 15 minutes of physio, the Colombian left the players’ lounge with his packed racquet bag and perfect amounts of hydration. Not a detail is to be missed! It’s the second time in his life travelling without a coach, so everything depends on him. On his way to the court, Giraldo saw the match between Julien Benneteau and Jared Donaldson on the next court.

Giraldo’s countryman, Alejandro Falla, supported him in the stands. The left-hander motivated him as he saved two break points on serve. In the end, Giraldo won in straight sets, knocking out fourth seed Sam Querrey.

Giraldo spoke with the media, returned to the players’ lounge, went back to the hotel, stretched, ate and went to bed early. He needed to rest as the next day awaits the same routine, against another tough opponent!

Second seed Andy Murray battled to beat Fabio Fognini 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in Rio on Thursday. The defending Olympic Champion converted on six of his 12 break point opportunities to advance to the quarter-finals, where he will face No. 12 seed Steve Johnson. The American needed 64 minutes to defeat Evgeny Donskoy 6-1, 6-1.

Third seed Rafael Nadal topped No. 15 seed Gilles Simon 7-6(5), 6-3 to advance to the last eight, hitting 21 winners in the two-hour match. Nadal, the Olympic Champion in 2008, will next face home hope Thomaz Bellucci, who upset No. 8 seed David Goffin 7-6(10) 6-4. The Brazilian won 71 per cent of his first serve points and hit 18 winners to advance.

Watch Nadal FedEx Profile

Juan Martin del Potro prevailed 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-2 over Taro Daniel, firing 43 winners to reach the quarter-finals. The Argentine will look to advance to the medal rounds when he faces tenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, a 6-4, 7-6(4) winner over Gilles Muller. 

Watch Bautista Agut FedEx Profile

Gael Monfils will take on Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals after beating Marin Cilic 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-4. Nishikori edged Slovakia’s Andrej Martin 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles Final Set

Nadal ensured that he will be taking home at least one Olympic medal, teaming with Marc Lopez to defeat Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 7-6(1), 7-6(4) in the doubles semi-finals. The Spaniards will face Romanians Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau for gold. Mergea/Tecau topped Americans Steve Johnson and Jack Sock 6-3, 7-5. The American and Canadian teams will face off for the bronze medal.