Monte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record fifth straight time on Sunday, spending nearly three hours in fighting off dogged Serb Novak Djokovic, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.

The laboured victory pulls Nadal even with New Zealand's Anthony Wilding, who won five (non-consecutive) titles at the event from 1908 onwards.

The Spaniard had to fight for two and three-quarters hours against the determined number three Djokovic, who handed Nadal his first dropped set since the 2006 final against Roger Federer.

Monte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal escaped a late struggle from Andy Murray with a straight-sets win to reach his fifth consecutive final at the Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday with a date now looming against Novak Djokovic.

Nadal won his 26th match in a row at the venue as he secured a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) result in well over two hours.

He has also won 30 consecutive Monte Carlo sets since the 2006 final against Roger Federer and completed his 20th straight match win on clay dating to last May in Rome.

Monte Carlo - Third seed Novak Djokovic thwarted the upset plans of Stanislas Wawrinka, defeating the Swiss 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 on Saturday to reach his first final at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Djokovic will test himself against either four-time champion Rafael Nadal or Scottish fourth seed Andy Murray, competing for the first time in his career on clay after a breakthrough week on the surface.

Monte Carlo  - Stan Wawrinka has a score to settle with Novak Djokovic as the pair stage a re-run of last year's Foro Italico final when they meet in in a semi-final Saturday at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Djokovic, seeded third to the 13th of Wawrinka, beat the Swiss for the Rome title last May. But Wawrinka is riding a wave of clay confidence a day after defeating good friend Roger Federer in the third round.

He followed up that achievement on Friday, putting out German qualifier Andreas Beck 6-2, 6-4.

Monte Carlo - Rafael Nadal was due to continue his clay campaign Friday with an afternoon quarter-final against Ivan Ljubicic after finishing off a rain-interrupted contest over Nicolas Lapentti at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Officials at the season clay kick-off were riding a lucky streak of perfect weather before more rain was forecast for the weekend.

Nadal completed a 6-3, 6-0 third-round crushing of the Ecuadorian after getting through only one game on Thursday.

Monte Carlo  - Roger Federer lost for only the third time in his career to a compatriot, going out to Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday at the Monte Carlo Masters for his earliest clay exit in five years.

Novak Djokovic earned a night win over Spaniard Alberto Montanes 6-1, 6-7 (4-7) 6-0, and Scot fourth seed Andy Murray fought through a 13-11 tiebreaker with Italian Fabio Fognini before rain interrupted their second set on serve 1-0 to Murray.