David Ferrer is into the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters after he put on a brilliant display to knock out world No.1 Rafael Nadal.
Ferrer, who had one win in his last 11 matches against Nadal before today, overcame the eight-time champion 7-6(1) 6-4 to set up a last-four encounter with Stanislas Wawrinka.
Ferrer twice squandered a break in the opening set as Nadal fought back to force a tiebreak, but the Spaniard looked out-of-sorts as his shots lacked firepower which enabled Ferrer to move in front after the set lasted an hour and 25 minutes.
Nadal then fell a break behind in the second set as Ferrer raced into a 3-1 advantage. Ferrer continued to dominate Nadal by opening a 5-2 lead, but when serving for the win he surrendered his serve and Nadal closed the gap to one game at 5-4.
However, Ferrer was not to be denied as he fired a forehand down the line before Nadal gifted him the win when hitting the net.
Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka booked his place in the semi-finals for the second time after the Swiss defeated Milos Raonic 7-6(5) 6-2.
Wawrinka, twice a runner-up at ATP Masters 1000 events in Rome and Madrid, came from 3-0 and 5-3 down in the first set tiebreak to take it 7-5. The challenge of Raonic quickly faded as Wawrinka dropped just two games in the second set to seal a straight-sets victory.
Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/300849.html
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