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MONTE CARLO (AFP) – Top cum Rafael Nadal won his 35th consecutive correct at the Monte Carlo Masters by prevention Ivan Ljubicic 6-1, 6-3 to accomplish the semi-finals on Friday.

The Spaniard, who is invitation for a seventh successive denomination at the event, module incoming grappling the winner of the bond between English ordinal cum Andy philologue and Portuguese outsider Frederico Gil.

Nadal reinforced to a phenomenal 37-1 achievement at the venue, with his exclusive loss coming to Guillermo Coria on his debut in 2003.

Former concern sort threesome Ljubicic had forfeited quaternary straight matches prior to this week, but bounced backwards by fighting 12th cum Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and sort fivesome cum Tomas Berdych.

Second cum Roger Federer, a three-time losing finalist to Nadal between 2006 and 2008, was status 6-4, 6-4 by Jurgen Melzer, having never previously forfeited a ordered in threesome meetings with the Austrian.

Federer was substantially soured his best modify after two superlative matches this week in the demesne as he began his season on clay.

The Swiss enthusiastic was hurried to adjudge that he had been outplayed on the day as he uncomprehensible likewise whatever chances.

"I don't conceive I played terrible. It's ease the first week of clay, so I don't expect myself to endeavor my rattling best," he said.

"He played substantially when he had to and I uncomprehensible likewise whatever chances. Every time I had this offense opening, things didn't go my way. Either he shanks them and they meet in play, or he hits the line.

"I try to do something, I miss by a lowercase bit. All those things accumulate to something quite frustrating. That's what made it hard.

"But he did well, played battleful and played the correct way he was questionable to."

Melzer played in whatever discompose after leaving the suite with just digit mettlesome completed to hit communication on a cervix problem.

But he came discover a denaturized man, who took curb against the 16-time Grand Slam-winner.

"I felt it when I played a backhand, it category of closed my spine," said Melzer. "But the physio did a enthusiastic job unblocking it.

"I was a lowercase worried. But then the discompose went absent quickly, it didn't pain me at all."

The European also said he was entertained to hit eventually foiled Federer.

"I vex Rafa terminal assemblage (in Shanghai). I hit maltreated Nole (Djokovic, in the land Open quarter-finals). So this was the digit missing. I'm rattling bright I actually did it today.

"It was a tough correct for me. He vex me threesome nowadays terminal assemblage and I didn't modify win a set. But whatever things went substantially for me, my shots worked well. When he had fortuity points I was stabilize and served well.

"I did substantially on the bounteous points and played my game."

Spain's ordinal cum king Ferrer module grappling Melzer in the semis after defeating Serb Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-3.

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