Santiago Giraldo ranked eighth in the world his way towards  a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 win over fifth-seeded Potito Starace to enter the finals of the $450,000 Movistar Open, the first clay-court tournament on the 2011 ATP World Tour calendar.

Giraldo has registered a place at the title match of an ATP event for the first time in his career and knock heads with experienced Spaniard Tommy Robredo, who came back from a considerable set trail to down Fabio Fognini, the seventh seed, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The 23-year-old Colombian Giraldo broke serve three times in the decisive set to even the head-to-head series with his Italian foe at a match apiece.

Robrero, who is seeded sixth in the tournament, leads the head-to-head with Giraldo at 2-0. He will be playing in a final for the first time since winning two consecutive titles in Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires in 2009.

Fognini reached the final four of a tournament for the first time since July 2009 in Stuttgart.