Schwartzman, Verdasco into Rio Open final

Diego Schwartzman will meet Fernando Verdasco in the final of the ATP's Rio Open after both sealed straight-sets semi-final wins.

Argentine Schwartzman beat Nicolas Jarry 7-5 6-2 while Spanish sixth seed Verdasco overcame Fabio Fognini 6-1 7-5 at the clay court event.

The semi-final results mean the tournament will have a new winner and give Schwartzman or Verdasco their first ATP tour title in more than a year.

Verdasco, at 34 the oldest of the four semi-finalists, broke Fognini in the first game of the match and then romped through the first set.

Fognini, who knocked out home favourite Thomaz Bellucci in the first round, improved in the second set but could not stop Verdasco from breaking in the decisive 12th game to wrap up the match.

World No.23 Schwartzman was too good for Chilean Jarry, who was aiming to reach his first ATP final.

The Argentine sixth seed broke early in the first set before closing out the opener and then overran the 22-year-old in the second.

Schwartzman defeated Verdasco in their only previous meeting, on clay in Nice in 2016.