Djokovic and Nadal qualified for Monte Carlo semis
Top seeded Rafael Nadal extended his winning line at the Monte Carlo Masters to 25 matches by defeating Ivan Ljubicic 6-3 6-3 on Friday in his second match of the day, to proceed one step away from a fifth straight final.
After crushing Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador 6-3 6-0 in a rain late third round match, the four time French Open champion indicated few symbols of exhaustion in winning his 19th straight match on clay to reach the semifinals.
Nadal elaborated who only had time to play one game on Thursday, “I don’t keep in mind ever winning two singles matches in one day, only doubles. I didn’t have a lengthy match in the morning, so I was completely 100 per cent to play the second. That’s imperative.”
Nadal settled the match when Ljubicic attempted to finish a short rally with a backhand winner which went long. Though Nadal has not threw a set in Monte Carlo since downing Roger Federer in four sets in the 2006 final, he said he’s still adjusting to playing on his favorite surface again.
Nadal said, “Have to play some more inside, fewer faults, serve a little bit well, I think all expressions of the game I have to get better.”
The Spaniard has achieved the last four Monte Carlo titles, and has gone on to capture the French Open each time. His final defeat on clay was to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round of the Rome Masters in May last year. Nadal ahead plays the fourth seeded Andy Murray, who found his initial career semifinal on clay after crushing No.8 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 7-6 6-4.
Also, third seeded Novak Djokovic qualified for the semifinals for the second successive year by defeating No.7 Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-2 4-6 6-3 on Friday. Djokovic burst Verdasco, the Australian Open semi finalist, in the sixth game of the deciding set and closed out the match on serve.
Djokovic said, “I could have over the job in two sets, but then he came back, adding that serious rain from Thursday made for tricky situation on the clay. The courts were actually damp. Even today you could feel it. The balls were getting bald and really fast. It was tough to control.”
Djokovic, who qualified for the semifinals of the French Open last year, will meet No. 13 Stanislas Wawrinka in the last four after he punch German qualifier Andreas Beck 6-2 6-4.