Nadal Notches Up 40th Win
Rafael Nadal won his 40th consecutive match on clay by beating sixth seed Guiiermo Coria 6-2 6-1 to reach the semi finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.
He will now playGaston Gaudio, who beat 15th seed Tommy Robredo 6-1 6- 3.
Nadal lost the opening two games but then reeled off the next 11 against the beleagured Argentine, who once again struggled with his serve.
Having served an ATP record of 23 double faults in the previous round, Coria threw in another eight against Nadal to take his tally to 51 in his last three matches.
“I’m very happy with how I played,” said Nadal.
“I got some confidence back. My backhand was not 100% today, but it was good.”
Top seed Roger Federer made the semis in Monte Carlo for the first time by beating Spain’s David Ferrer 6-1 6-3.
He will face Fernando Gonzalez after the Chilean beat Ivan Ljubicic 7-5 6-1.
Federer has a 5-0 record against Gonzalez, and has beaten him three times on clay - at Monte Carlo and in the French Open last year, and at Hamburg in 2004.
The Swiss world number one, who is building up his claycourt game ahead of next month’s French Open, the only Grand Slam to so far elude him, said he was “very pleased” with his display.
“I played excellent again today,” he said.
“I knew on clay it was going to be more difficult. I always know that I can play with anybody, on any surface,” said Federer.
