Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer In Action In Monte Carlo Quarterfinals

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Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer In Action In Monte Carlo Quarterfinals
By Ken Miller, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Friday, April 15, 2011 4:35am PST USA

MONTE CARLO-- At the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters Friday, the top seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain and the second seeded Roger Federer both compete in quarterfinal action. The rivals could meet in Sunday’s championship final.

Federer takes on the seventh seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria; while Nadal faces the unseeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia.

The Swiss leads Melzer head to head 3-0 and has never lost a set to the Austrian.

Nadal could face a tougher test today; however, as he leads Ljubicic head to head

Roger Federer of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal of Spain

Nadal has won 33 matches in a row at Monte Carlo; having lost only one match ever in the city in 2003.

5-2 but dropped the pair’s last meeting 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7-1) last year in the semifinals at Indian Wells.

Monte Carlo is the first major ATP Tour warm-up tournament for the French Open, which begins May 22nd in Paris.

Federer scored his lone French Open singles title in 2009.

Nadal, a much more accomplished clay court player then his Swiss rival, won his fifth Paris title last year to post a career Paris record of 38-1. The Spaniard is considered by many to be the greatest claycourt player of all time.

Nadal has won 33 matches in a row at Monte Carlo; having lost only one match ever in the city in 2003.

Head to head, Nadal leads Federer 15-8. In their last meeting last month month, Nadal topped Federer 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals at Miami.