Rafael Nadal stops David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 to reach 6th straight Monte Carlo Masters final

Nadal to face Verdasco in Monte Carlo final

MONACO — Rafael Nadal is back in the final where he’ll try to win a sixth straight Monte Carlo Masters after defeating David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday.

Nadal will meet Fernando Verdasco in an all-Spanish final on Sunday. Verdasco thrashed top-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, depriving the Serb of a chance to avenge his defeat to Nadal in last year’s final.

“Since the start (of) 2010, I am playing well in almost every tournament,” Nadal said. “This year I think I am playing much better because I am running a little bit better. I am playing more aggressive. That’s very important.”

It will be the first all-Spanish final at Monte Carlo since Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Carlos Moya in 2002. Verdasco has lost all nine matches he’s played against Nadal, who will be aiming for his first title since beating Djokovic on clay in May at the Rome Masters.

Nadal had lost his two previous semifinals, to Andy Roddick and Ivan Ljubicic on hard courts in Masters events at the Sony Ericsson Open and BNP Paribas Open.

“It’s very important for me to be in this final,” Nadal said. “I played a very good match today. I was a little bit more nervous than usual because I lost two semifinals in a row.

“Verdasco has always had amazing potential. If he is focused mentally, his shots are unbelievable.”

Djokovic never got going and his numerous unforced errors made it a comfortable win for Verdasco.

Nadal had little trouble after conceding the first game to love. The Spaniard held, then broke to lead 2-1 before going on to take the set in little more than 30 minutes when Ferrer’s backhand went wide.

Nadal broke to lead 2-1 in the second set, but Ferrer broke back by wrong-footing Nadal with a stinging passing shot.

Ferrer made two unforced errors in the next game to drop serve again, and Nadal held to love for a 4-2 lead. He took Ferrer’s serve for the fifth time to lead 5-2 and served for the match.

The 23-year-old Nadal clinched victory on his second match point after the 11th-seeded Ferrer hit a forehand into the net.

Nadal has won 31 straight matches in Monaco.