Robredo beat seventh-seeded Agustin Calleri of Argentina 6-4, 6-0 while Ferrer beat Olympic silver medallist Mardy Fish of the United States 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.

Rain delayed the start of the Robredo-Calleri match by 90 minutes and only five points had been played _ Robredo held serve to love and Calleri double faulted _ when returning showers forced the players from the court for 4{ hours.

When they returned, Robredo took time to slip into his rhythm as Calleri applied pressure from the net but the Spaniard eventually dominated the match with his reliable first serve and deep, accurate ground strokes.

He broke Calleri in the 10th game to take the first set 6-4 and raced through the second in 25 minutes, delayed only by his opponent's need to call the tour trainer for treatment to an apparent back injury.

Robredo climbed into the world's top 10 during 2006 with a career-best 49 match wins. He qualified for his first Tennis Masters Cup and captured his first ATP Masters Series title, reaching a peak singles ranking of five.

``When someone is on the top rankings it's because he deserves it, it's not a matter of luck,'' he said. ``It means that the last year you were better than all the rest of the people behind you.''

Robredo and Ferrer, both 24, have met only once previously _ in last year's ATP Masters Series in Hamburg where Robredo won 7-6 (10), 6-4.

Ferrer had to fight hard to beat Fish, whose victims on the way to the semifinals included No. 2 seeded Mario Ancic and Juan Ignacio Chela.

Ferrer sped through the first set in only 20 minutes, breaking Fish in the first, third and fifth games. He broke Fish in the first game of the third set, immediately dropped serve, but broke again in the third, fifth and seventh games to clinch set and match.