Djokovic, Nadal charge into Monte Carlo semis

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France (Sports Network) - World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and reigning seven-time champion Rafael Nadal were easy quarterfinal victors Friday at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The 2009 runner-up Djokovic improved to 23-2 this year by handling Dutchman Robin Haase 6-4, 6-2 on the red clay at the famed Monte Carlo Country Club. The break-filled match featured seven service breaks by the super Serb.

Djokovic, who won here on Thursday just hours after learning about the death of his grandfather. will now appear in his fifth semifinal in five events so far this season.

The reigning Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon champ's semifinal opponent on Saturday will be sixth-seeded Czech slugger and former Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych.

The second-seeded former No. 1 Nadal, meanwhile, handled unseeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 7-5, 6-4, as Wawrinka could manage only on break of serve in the predictable defeat.

The clay-court stalwart Nadal won an Open Era-record seventh consecutive title here last year and is now a staggering 42-1 lifetime in Monte Carlo. He topped David Ferrer in last year's all-Spanish finale.

Nadal and Roger Federer are the all-time leaders with 19 Masters titles apiece.

The former No. 1 Nadal, seeking his first title of any kind since capturing last year's French Open, will meet the Jo-Wilfried Tsonga-Gilles Simon winner on Saturday.

The aforementioned Berdych came from behind to upend third-seeded world No. 4 British star Andy Murray 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-3 in 2 hours, 48 minutes. Berdych broke the three-time Grand Slam finalist Murray five times on Day 6, while the Scot settled for only one break in the setback.

Murray was a Monte Carlo semifinalist two of the previous three years here.

Berdych will meet Djokovic for a 10th time, with the high-flying Serb holding a commanding 8-1 lead in their lifetime series, including wins in their last six meetings.

The 2012 winner of this $3.2 million Masters event will collect $603,000.