Rafael Nadal's 30-match claycourt winning streak ended on Friday when the world number one was stunned 7-6(1) 6-4 by fellow Spaniard David Ferrer who executed a perfect game plan to reach the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals. Sixth seed Ferrer, who had beaten Nadal on clay only once 10 years ago and was brushed aside by the muscular left-hander in the French Open final last year, relied on his devastating forehand to prevail in over two hours. Nadal, who made an uncharacteristic string of unforced errors, was looking to recapture his Monte Carlo crown after Serb Novak Djokovic had ended his eight-year reign in last year's final - his last defeat on the slow surface. Ferrer will next face world number three and Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka, who dismissed Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic 7-6(5) 6-2 in his quarter-final. Former world number one Roger Federer, seeded fourth, got off to a sluggish start but saw off local favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6 7-6(6) 6-1 to set up a meeting with second seed Djokovic or unheralded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia Lopez. Swiss Federer made a series of backhand errors as Tsonga pinned him behind the baseline with his flat forehand, but regained composure in the tiebreak of the second set. Tsonga's limited fitness was then exposed as he lost five games in a row and Federer finally converted a break point at the 16th attempt as he marched towards the last four. Earlier Ferrer ended a long wait against Nadal, having never beaten him on clay since their first ATP meeting in Stuttgart. "I have had to wait 10 years to beat him on clay. It was a long wait but I am pleased with the win and the way I played," Ferrer told Spanish TV. "I spoke with my coach and we had a clear gameplan but with Rafa it's always tough because he doesn't allow you to follow it. The good thing was I was able to deal with his attacks and stay strong physically for the whole match." Nadal said he did not manage to stick to his own gameplan. "I didn't play the right way. I didn't play with the right intensity with my forehand," he explained. "I played too short. I gave him the chance to have the control of the point almost all the time." Lengthy dogfight Ferrer broke Nadal's serve in the second game, only for the top seed to break back in the third after a 16-minute dogfight in overcast conditions at the Monte Carlo Country Club. Ferrer saw off a potentially decisive break point in the 11th game and the opening set went to a tiebreak, which he won 7-1 as Nadal collapsed. Nadal continued to struggle in the second set, with a weak drop shot being easily retrieved by Ferrer as he broke for 2-1. The world number six stole Nadal's serve again for 5-2 as the clock ticked past the two-hour mark. Nadal broke back for 5-3 and held for 5-4 but bowed out on the first match point when he netted a routine backhand. Earlier, Swiss Wawrinka, who did not play on Thursday because his third-round opponent Nicolas Almagro of Spain withdrew due to injury, got off to a slow start against Raonic, needing a tiebreak to pocket the first set. He was then unstoppable, outclassing the Canadian who showed his limitations at the highest level. (For more sports news and updates,followAhramOnline Sportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/99369.aspx
