It was supposed to be a tight contest but eight-time champion Rafael Nadal made sure that fourth seed and 2014 titlist Stan Wawrinka did not have much chance when they met in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday. With a ruthless display by his forehand, the 14-time Grand Slam champion comfortably beat the Swiss, 6-1, 6-4 to advance to a semi-final meeting with the second seed Andy Murray.
The ‘King of Clay’ was back to his vintage best as he made in-roads into the reigning French Open champion’s game four times. Wawrinka looked rather off-colour a day after dispatching the 15th seed Gilles Simon at the expense of just three games.
It had much to do with Nadal’s brilliance on these courts where he had won 55 matches prior to Friday’s quarter-final. He raced through the first set, breaking the two-time Major winner twice. The second set was more competitive as the two exchanged breaks but Nadal continued the pressure to break his opponent once more in the ninth game that gave him an opportunity to successfully serve out the match.
Murray has won his last clay meeting with Rafa
World No. 2 Murray too was right on target in his quarter-final against the 10th seed Milos Raonic. He needed just 66 minutes to see off the big-serving Canadian 6-2, 6-0. It was a farcry from 24 hours earlier when the Scot was just two points away from defeat against the 16th seeded Benoit Paire.
With a barrage of 19 winners, the Scot cantered into the last-four without facing a single break point.
On Saturday, he will be locking horns with his friend and nemesis Nadal for the 23rd time against whom he has a 6-16 record. But he can surely draw inspiration from his most recent clay showdown with the Spaniard that happened a year ago at the Madrid Masters final where the Scot emerged a 6-3, 6-2 winner.
A possible ‘Fedal’ final denied by Tsonga
In the other quarter-finals at the Principality, eight seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga dashed all hopes of a much-awaited ‘Fedal’ final as he sent the third seed and four-time runner-up Roger Federer packing with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 scoreline.
This was the Frenchman’s sixth victory over the 17-time Major winner in 17 face-offs.
The former World No. 1 blazed past his opponent in the opening set, breaking him thrice. But Tsonga raised his level and turned around the contest second set onwards as the Swiss appeared to struggle.
After both had traded sets, the decider was a tight affair with none ready to concede the advantage to the other. Tsonga’s persistence paid off in the 11th game when he succeeded in breaking his illustrious rival’s serve before serving out the victory.
Tsonga sets up all-French semi-final with Monfils
He will next face his compatriot and 13th seed Gael Monfils who trounced lucky loser Marcel Granollers 6-2, 6-4 in the final quarter-final of the day. This is his second straight semi-final appearance at the season’s opening clay Masters.
Their showdown ensures that a Frenchman will reach the final at Monaco for the first time since 2000.
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