Sao Paulo, Brazil – Top seed and defending champion Nicolas Almagro and Italian veteran Filippo Volandri were semifinal winners Saturday and will meet for the title at the $475,300 Brasil Open.
The Spanish Almagro beat countryman and No. 8 seed Albert Ramos 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), while Volandri rallied from a set down to post a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 victory over fourth-seeded Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.
Almagro won this event in 2008 and bested Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in last year's finale. He owns an 18-4 career tournament record, and heads into Sunday with a 10-4 lifetime mark in finals.
Volandri advanced to his ninth title match -- all on clay -- and is looking to capture his third career crown. His last title came in Palermo in 2006.
Almagro has won six of nine meetings with Volandri.
The 2012 Brasil Open champion will collect $85,800.
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