Stanislas Wawrinka made it into his first ever Monte Carlo Masters final with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) semi-final win over David Ferrer on Saturday.
Ferrer had clinched his last four spot by toppling Monte Carlo master Rafael Nadal, the eight-time champion, in Thursday’s quarter-final.
But the Spanish sixth seed was unable to mete out the same treatment to Wawrinka, with the Australian Open champion sweeping into a one set lead before holding his nerve in the second set tie break.
The Swiss third ssed will face the winner of Saturday’s second semi-final between his good friend Roger Federer and defending champion Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic, the second seed who has been keeping mum about a right wrist injury he is carrying, only managed a 20-minute pre-match warm-up, hitting just a few serves before packing it in early.
Federer is looking to win Monte Carlo for the first time after losing three finals.