Nadal to Meet Tsonga and Djokovic to Meet Upstart Fognini as Monte Carlo Semis Are Set

Rafael Nadal survived his Friday match at the 2013 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, defeating Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals. An eight-time defending champion at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, Nadal had only lost six sets at this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament since winning the title for the first time in 2005. On Friday, however, he was tested by Dimitrov, as he dictated play for large periods of the second and third sets.

"I know that when you have these tough matches, it is decisive to keep fighting," said Nadal. "If you keep fighting, you will lose some ones, but you will have a chance to win a lot of ones, too. I gave that fight. Finally, he had his chance, and I had my one, and I converted. That’s it. I think I played better the last couple of games. Obviously I’m trying to find better rhythm all the time. In my opinion, I did it in the end. It was great."

For a place in the Monte Carlo finals, Nadal will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Stanislas Wawrinka. Nadal holds a 7-3 lifetime record over Tsonga. Tsonga is through to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semifinal since November 2011, when he finished runner-up at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, a loss to Roger Federer.

Nadal is chasing his fourth title in five tournaments this season, having triumphed in Sao Paulo, Acapulco and Indian Wells before arriving in Monte-Carlo. He returned from a seven-month injury layoff in February by reaching the final in Vina del Mar and has a 20-1 match record on the season. 

“It’s an incredible challenge,” said Tsonga of facing Nadal in the semis. “He won eight times here. Anything I might achieve will be just a bonus for me. I have no longer any pain in my legs because I know I’m going to play a player that’s a lot better than I am on clay. But I do have some weapons. I have everything to win and nothing to lose.”

Also into the semis is Novak Djokovic who needed a little over an hour to defeat Jarkko Nieminen, 6-4, 6-3. In the semis, Djokovic will take on Italy’s Fabio Fognini who scored an upset 7-6(0), 6-2 win over Richard Gasquet of France. Fognini became the first Italian player to reach the semifinals at the Monte-Carlo Country Club since Andrea Gaudenzi in 1995. Djokovic hold a 4-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head record, including victory last month at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

"I played another time I think a really good match with a fantastic player," said Fognini. "I mean, he is Top 10 and has won so many tournaments. Now I just have to say I’m really happy. It’s my first semi-final in Monte Carlo, my home. I’m so happy. This is one of the best performances ever for me. It’s my first semi-final at a Masters 1000. I have another opportunity to play with a great player here in the centre court in front of so many people, special friends and family."