A week on from featuring in his first ATP World Tour final, Steve Johnson blew several chances to reach another as he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in the last four of the Valencia Open.

Johnson is up to a career-high ranking of 33 after making the final of the Vienna Open, won by David Ferrer, last weekend.

However, the American was unable to cross the finishing post against Bautista Agut on Saturday, spurning six match points before the Spaniard ultimately prevailed 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-8).

Johnson's first match point came in the 12th game of the deciding set and he then saw a further five go begging in a tie-break before Bautista Agut accepted his first opportunity to triumph - extending his unbeaten record in matches between the pair to four.

Bautista Agut - also a finalist in Moscow last week - will now face Joao Sousa, who has come up short at the last hurdle in St Petersburg, Umag and Geneva this year.

Sousa recorded a 6-4 6-4 victory over Vasek Pospisil to sustain his hopes of adding to the title he won in Kuala Lumpur in 2013.