Rafael Nadal won the 500th match of his storied career, but had to battle past stubborn Croatian Ivan Dodig 6-3, 6-2 to book Sunday’s Barcelona Open final with fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.
Nadal, 24, crossed the 500-win threshold as second-youngest player ever after Bjorn Borg.
Nadal lost early breaks in both sets, but got them back through the sheer force of his tennis to produce the win in 90 minutes.
Ferrer, dealing with a left calf injury all week but positive he will be fit for the trophy clash, defeated compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-4.
The final at the Real Club de Tenis will be the second in a week between the Spanish friends, with Nadal winning his seventh straight Monte Carlo title six days ago over Ferrer.
Nadal is bidding for a sixth title in seven editions on the Barcelona clay and leads Ferrer 12-4 in their one-way rivalry. Nadal is on a 33-match clay winning run and has lost just two of 76 sets dating to his fourth-round defeat at the 2009 French Open by Robin Soderling.
