Sixth seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez was dumped out of the Valencia Open on Friday as Steve Johnson booked his third semi-final appearance of 2015.

Johnson – who had previously knocked out second seed Feliciano Lopez – fired down nine aces on his way to a 7-5 6-4 victory in the quarter-final, converting three of the 10 break opportunities he created on the Spaniard's serve.

Garcia-Lopez was under pressure early on in the clash but survived before finding a chink in Johnson's armour in the third game, he was unable to consolidate it though.

The American came firing back immediately, and only dropped four points on his serve in the rest of the set.

He moved clear at the third time of asking in the 12th game, Garcia-Lopez unable to stop his opponent pushing ahead.

Another late lapse in the second handed Johnson his final-four place, the world number 33 making no mistake in the 10th game to break for the third time in the match.

He will meet Roberto Bautista-Agut in the semis after the seventh seed accounted for German qualifier Mischa Zverev 6-4 6-3.

Saturday's other semi-final will see Vasek Pospisil face Joao Sousa after both men recorded straight-set victories.

Pospisil booked his place in the last four with his 25th win of the season, the Canadian beating Daniel Brands 6-3 6-3 to reach his first semi-final in 14 months.

His next opponent Sousa was made to battle for his place as Pablo Cuevas put up a fight before succumbing, the former saving all five break points he faced in the match before prevailing 6-4 6-4.