体坛英语新闻：Nadal to meet Murray in semifinals at Monte Carlo

LONDON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- World number one Rafael Nadal claimed two wins Friday to set up a semifinal meet with fourth seed Andy Murray at the Monte Carlo Masters.

    Spanish clay court specialist Nadal swept past Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-3 in his quarterfinal after picking up where he left in the third round, beating Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti 6-3, 6-0 in a match halted by thunderstorm Thursday.

Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia during the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament in Monaco April 17, 2009

Murray battled past Russian eighth seed Nikolay Davydenko 7-6, 6-4 to book a last four ticket after he finished his third-round 7-6, 6-4 win over Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini.

    World number three Novak Djokovic floored high-flying Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to book his place in the last four against 13th seed Stanislas Wawrinka.

    The Swiss made light work of German qualifier Andreas Beck with a 6-2 6-4 win.