ESTORIL: Top-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta defeated defending champion Nicolas Almagro 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals of the Estoril Open on Friday.

The 21st-ranked Carreno Busta converted all his break points — two in each set — and saved five of the six break points that fellow Spaniard Almagro had in the decisive set.

Carreno Busta lost last year's final to Almagro. He next faces another Spaniard, David Ferrer, who defeated Ryan Harrison of the United States, 6-4, 6-0, for his 698th career win.

The 52nd-ranked Harrison reached the quarter-finals after former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro withdrew on Wednesday because of the death of his grandfather in Argentina.

The other semi-final is between South African Kevin Anderson, who defeated second-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (4), and third-seeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, who beat 113th-ranked Taro Daniel of Japan 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.