Nadal Extends Winning Streak; Ferrer Reaches Semi-Finals For First Time

© AFP/Getty ImagesDavid Ferrer has a 17-6 match record in Monte-Carlo.

David Ferrer will look to record his first clay-court win in six years over Spanish compatriot Rafael Nadal in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters semi-finals. Ferrer beat a 17-year-old Nadal at the MercedesCup in July 2004 and has since lost six straight matches on red dirt. Nadal, who has a 9-3 overall record, beat Ferrer at the recent Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

Five-time defending champion Nadal notched his 30th straight win at the Monte-Carlo Country Club (32-1 overall) with a 6-4, 6-2 win over fellow former World No. 1 and Davis Cup team mate Juan Carlos Ferrero in one hour and 36 minutes.

"To be in semi-finals is a very good start of the clay season," said Nadal. "The result, against probably one of the tougher opponents right now on clay, is very good one. I think when the weather was reasonably good, I played well. I had good control of the ball. When I attacked with the forehand, I did well. My serve was much better today than the rest of the three days."

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The tense encounter was suspended for 30 minutes, due to high winds and rain, when Ferrero led 3-2 in the first set. Nadal had broken for a 2-1 lead, as VIPs on the terrace overlooking Court Central enjoyed their lunches, but Ferrero refused to be distracted and peppered his opponent’s backhand to break back, with Nadal failing to retrieve a crosscourt shot.

Nadal emerged from the locker room a different player after the break. At 4-4, he secured the second of two break point opportunities with a powerful crosscourt forehand winner. The pressure continued to mount for World No. 15 Ferrero as he was broken in the opening game of the second set. Nadal went on to take a 4-1 lead with another service break in the fifth game.

"I think he was playing a little bit more aggressive [than Jo-Wilfried Tsonga]," said Ferrero. "I didn't have the time that I had before. I had to push with my forehand all the time, and I think I missed some easy balls in important moments.  I had the impression that I dominates the points a lot of times, [but] I couldn't finish."

Ferrero, a winner of two ATP World Tour titles in February at the Brasil Open (d. Kubot) and the Copa Telmex (d. Ferrer), continued to battle to the very end against a player who is looking to equal the tournament record of six titles, held by Englishman Reggie Doherty from 1897-99, 1902-04).

The 23-year-old Nadal has compiled a 19-4 match record this year, highlighted by one runner-up finish at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha (l. to Davydenko). His last tour-level titles came 11 months ago.

Earlier in the day, No. 11 seed Ferrer advanced to the semi-finals for the first time in seven appearances (17-6 record) on Friday, after he defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 7-5, 7-6(1) in just over two hours.

There were four service breaks in the 48-minute first set, before Ferrer clinched a 6-5 lead when Kohlschreiber hit a forehand into the net. In the second set Kohlschreiber led 2-0, before losing four straight games. Ferrer served for the match at 5-4 but was broken to love. He went on to dominate the tie-break, sealing his first match point when Kohlschreiber hit a backhand out.

Ferrer, 28, captured the Abierto Mexicano Telcel title in Acapulco (d. Ferrero) in February. 

"He is better player on clay I think," admitted Nadal. "[It will] be a really tough match. The style of Ferrero and Ferrer is different. Juan Carlos probably has [a] little bit more control of the ball. Ferrer plays with intensity, high intensity. When he's hitting his forehand from the backhand [side], [it] is very difficult to stop him."