SAO PAULO (AP) — Two-time defending champion Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay can make it three straight in the Brazil Open after beating top-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the semifinals 6-3, 7-6 (2) on Saturday.

Cuevas has won five ATP singles title, all on clay.

Cuevas and Carreno Busta are good friends and won the doubles title last weekend in the Rio Open.

No. 2-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain defeated Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-2 in three hours to reach the final.

Ramos-Vinolas' first final of the year wasn't unexpected. In his last three Latin American clay events, he made the semifinals twice and the quarterfinals once.

He won his only singles title last year on clay in Bastad, Sweden.