Intro:

David Ferrer claimed a stunning victory over fellow Spaniard and clay-court supremo Rafael Nadal to reach the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters on Friday.

Script:

World number one Rafael Nadal is out of the Monte Carlo Masters after a straight-sets quarter-final defeat to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.

The 27-year-old, who has won the tournament a record eight times, was beaten 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 by sixth-seed Ferrer on Friday.

Only a day after becoming the 11th man in the Open era to reach 300 wins on clay, Nadal committed 44 unforced errors and was broken four times in the face of Ferrer's relentless attack.

Nadal had lost to Ferrer just once before on clay, but capitulated in a first-set tie break 7-1 before twice dropping his serve in the second.

It is Nadal's earliest exit at the Monte Carlo Masters in 11 years.

He had previously won eight consecutive titles at the tournament from 2005-2012 before he lost last year's final to Novak Djokovic.

Ferrer sealed victory in 2 hours and 13 minutes to register his second win on clay over Nadal.

The last time he beat him was in 2004, in the first of their 27 career meetings.

The 32-year-old will now play Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in the semi-finals, after he defeated Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

Victory over the eighth-seed 23-year-old Canadian means Wawrinka will contest in his first semi-final since winning his first Grand Slam title in January.