42 sets and counting: Nadal battles to reach Barcelona semi-finals

Rafael Nadal kept his campaign for an 11th Barcelona title on track today with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Slovakian qualifier Martin Klizan.

World number one Nadal has now won 42 consecutive sets on clay but he was made to work by Klizan, the world number 140.

Klizan, who knocked out Novak Djokovic in the second round, had three set points to take the match to a decider.

But Nadal, who had been 3-5 down in the second set, battled back to take victory on a third match point and will face either Belgium's David Goffin or Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the final.