MONACO -- Rafael Nadal beat Andy Murray 6-2, 7-6 (4) Saturday in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, putting him within one victory of his fifth straight title in this French Open tuneup.
Nadal will play in Sunday's championship against Novak Djokovic, who rallied past Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the other semifinal. Djokovic, a French Open semifinalist the past two years, reached his first Monte Carlo final.
Nadal extended his winning streak at Monte Carlo to 26 matches. The top-ranked Spaniard, preparing for next month's clay-court major, has not dropped a set at the tournament since the 2006 final against Roger Federer.
"I think he's the greatest clay court player ever," Murray said.
Murray, seeded fourth, rallied from 5-2 down in the second set to push Nadal to play his best tennis after cruising in the first set. At times, Murray was pushed 10 feet behind the baseline, but this defensive strategy afforded the Scotsman little opportunity to attack.
Murray began the second set more aggressively. He held serve at love with a perfect drop shot at 30-0 and a backhand winner on his next point.
Nadal appeared in command at 5-2, but Murray roared back with winners that not even Nadal could chase down. Murray held and kept his opponent behind the baseline, finally converting a break point with a smash that drew him to 5-4.
"To beat him you have to play great for three, five sets because he's so solid," Murray said. "If you give him one chance, he's one of the best, probably the best, at taking them."
The players then held to force a tiebreaker, which featured a 29-stroke rally Nadal won with a forehand for a 5-3 lead. Another long rally went Nadal's way when he found a narrow angle to hit a crosscourt winner for 6-4. He then clinched the match when Murray netted a backhander.
Murray took some consolation from having reached a semifinal on clay for the first time.
"I've obviously learned a lot this week," he said. "The way I played at the end will give me a great indication of how I need to play."
In the opening match, Djokovic raised his game after a shaky start in the third set while Wawrinka's play was littered with unforced errors. After going a break down and trailing 2-0 in the decider, Djokovic won the next four games. The third-seeded Serb ended play on his third match point with a forehand winner.
"I am very frustrated and disappointed. I was up 2-0 and I had the opportunity to go up (3-0)," said Wawrinka, a Swiss seeded 13th. "I lost that game and the game at 2-2. These two games made me lose the match."
Djokovic set up match point when he returned Wawrinka's angled shot to the baseline with a stunning backhand down the line.
Wawrinka has lost six of his eight meetings with Djokovic, including the last five. He lost to Djokovic in the Rome Masters final last year on clay and recently on the hard courts at Indian Wells, Calif.