Nicolas Almagro has taken down the reigning champion in Hamburg…

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis star withstood a tough challenge from defending champion Juan Monaco of Argentina to earn a spot in the semifinals of the German Tennis Championships.

Almagro, the third-seeded player in the tournament, rallied to beat his Argentine opponent by a score of 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 on Friday for his place in the semis.

He’ll next play Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who beat Tommy Haas for the second time in two weeks to reach the semifinals, with a 6-2, 6-4 win over the second-seeded home favorite.

Almagro, currently ranked No. 15 in the world, is aiming for the 13th title of his career.