Top-seeded David Ferrer of Spain outlasted hometown favourite David Nalbandian in three sets on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Copa Claro tennis tournament in the Argentine capital.

Ferrer, the defending champion and world No.4, won 2-6 6-4 6-0 and will face Fabio Fognini of Italy in the quarter-finals on Friday.

No.2 seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain also reached the quarters on Thursday, defeating Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia 7-6 (7-5) 6-2. Almagro faces Federico Delbonis of Argentina in the next round.

Ferrer and Almagro met in last year’s final, and they are headed that way again.

Nalbandian started quickly, winning the first set but began to struggle to hold serve in the second. Ferrer took that set, breaking Nalbandian in the final game. After that, the Argentine offered little resistance going down 6-0.

“David (Nalbandian) is a player who dominates from the start,” Ferrer said.

“I knew, to beat him, it would have to be a long match – beating him physically.”

Almagro also struggled in his first set.

“It was not a very good match for me,” he said. “The important thing is being in the quarter-finals again.”

Almagro won this tournament two years ago and was the runner-up last year to Ferrer. This is his sixth appearance in the quarter-finals.

“It’s always nice coming here,” he said. “I feel really good and I feel loved by the people here. Six times in the quarter-finals says a lot, and a title, too.”