Third-seeded Novak Djokovic reached the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters for the second consecutive year by beating No. 7 Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday.
Djokovic broke Verdasco, the Australian Open semi-finalist, in the sixth game of the deciding set and closed out the match on serve. Djokovic, who reached the semi-finals of the French Open on clay last year, will meet either No. 13 Stanislas Wawrinka or German qualifier Andreas Beck in the last four.
Earlier, top-ranked Rafael Nadal stretched his winning streak at the Monte Carlo Masters to 24 matches by beating Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador 6-3, 6-0 in the third round. The match had been suspended Thursday due to heavy rain, with Lapentti up 1-0 in the first set.
Nadal was to play a second match on Friday, facing Ivan Ljubicic in the quarterfinals. Ljubicic beat Simone Bolelli of Italy 7-5, 7-6 (2).
Each time Nadal has won the Monte Carlo title he has gone on to capture the French Open. The Spaniard has won 18 straight matches on clay since losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round of the Rome Masters in May 2008.
Fourth-seeded Andy Murray overcame a poor start to beat Fabio Fognini of Italy 7-6 (11), 6-4 to reach a quarterfinal on clay for the first time in his career. The match was split over two days after rain halted Thursday's play at the start of the second set with Murray leading 1-0 and Fognini serving at 40-40.
Murray had never advanced past the third round on clay. Murray was playing the eighth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia later Friday. Davydenko beat No. 12 David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
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