Rafael Nadal took his clay-court win streak to 42 consecutive sets when he battled to a 6-0, 7-5 triumph over Martin Klizan in the Barcelona quarter-finals as he also moved just one win away from 400 on the surface.
World number one Nadal, the 10-time champion in Barcelona, was made to work by Slovakian qualifier Klizan, ranked at 140 and who had knocked out Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Klizan 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 for victory on a third match point and will face Belgium's David Goffin for a place in the final.
"I went to the bathroom (after the first set) and maybe after that I lost some timing," said Nadal.
"It was a great first set but I played a very bad game at the start of the second. It was tough -- I feel a little lucky to win in straight sets."
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