Nadal 7-10 for eighth straight Monte Carlo title

RAFAEL NADAL is 7-10 to make it eight Monte Carlo titles on the spin after beating Stanislas Wawrinka 7-5 6-4 to reach the semi-finals.

No.2 seed Nadal's last-four opponent in the French Riviera principality is 33-1 outsider of four Gilles Simon after Simon ended fourth-seed Tsonga's challenge with same score success.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, 13-8 for the title with Ladbrokes,  tackles Andy Murray's quarter-final conqueror Tomas Berdych in the other semi. Berdych is 3-1 to down Djokovic and 16-1 to triumph outright.

It is worth noting that Djokovic has beaten Nadal in their last seven meetings including on clay in the finals of last year's Madrid and Rome Masters.

Read Saturday's Racing Post for Monte Carlo Djokovic v Berdych semi-final betting verdict