Monte Carlo, April 20:

Roger Federer won his 500th career match on Friday in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters, and Rafael Nadal extended his clay-court winning streak to 65.

Nadal, who beat Federer in the Monte Carlo final last year, beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-3. Federer beat David Ferrer 6-4, 6-0.

The 10-time Grand Slam champion has never lost a set to Ferrer in six matches. In semi-finals, the top-ranked Federer will play two-time champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, who beat Richard Gasquet of France 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

Federer’s first career win came against Guillaume Roux of France in September 1998 at an indoor tournament in Toulouse, France. Federer’s win took him to more than $30 million in earnings.

Nadal needed five match points to defeat Kohlschreiber. Kohlschreiber took a set off Nadal in the second round of the Australian Open. Nadal will play Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the semi-finals.

Berdych won 12 straight games after trailing 3-0 in the second set to beat Robin Soderling of Sweden 5-7, 6-3, 6-0. Berdych attacked Soderling’s serve and outmaneuvered his taller opponent with accurate ground strokes to get a spot in the last four.

Federer vs Nadal

MONTE CARLO: Roger Federer will face Rafael Nadal next month in an exhibition match played on a court that is half grass and half clay. Federer, a four-time Wimbledon champion, is the world’s best grass-court player. Nadal has won the last two French Open titles and has a 64-match winning streak on clay. “The result is not the most important thing. It’s about having fun out there,” Federer said. The exhibition match will take place on May 2 in Mallorca, Spain, where the second-ranked Nadal was born. “It’s very nice for both of us,” Nadal said. “It will be a nice experience. The tickets are complete (sold out).” Both Federer and Nadal reached the quarter-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday. — AP