Rafa Nadal beat David Goffin 7-6(3) 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Madrid Open, where he will face Novak Djokovic, the beneficiary of a walkover when Kei Nishikori pulled out due to injury.
Nadal, who has won the tournament five times before, had to battle through a tie-break to take the first set but made light work of the Belgian in the second.
The win means Nadal, world number five, overtakes Roger Federer, world number four, in the Race to London standings.
Djokovic made the last four after Nishikori withdrew from their match with a wrist injury.
The Japanese player has been struggling with the problem in recent weeks and it also caused him to withdraw from the Barcelona Open.
Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay will face Borna Coric or Dominic Thiem in the other men’s semi-final.
Madrid Open quarter-final results:
4-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat 9-David Goffin (Belgium) 7-6(3) 6-2
Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) beat Alexander Zverev (Germany) 3-6 6-0 6-4
2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 6-Kei Nishikori (Japan) walkover
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