Hello and welcome to LIVE comments from this the first of the Rome semi-finals between world number one Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet

So Nadal is through to the final in Rome but who will he play - world number two Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray? The Spaniard has made no secret of his desire to play Djokovic again after losing his two-year clay court unbeaten streak to the Serb last week in Madrid. We will find out from 7pm UK time so join us again then for LIVE comments from the second semi-final

NADAL 7-5 6-1 - GAME, SET & MATCH - A low backhand into the net from Gasquet hands Nadal two match points. But he only needs the one as a vicious backhand down the line has too much pace for Gasquet and the Frenchman hits another backhand into the net to concede the match

NADAL 7-5 5-1 - The defending champion is just one game away from his sixth final in seven years at the Foro Italico as Gasquet's off-forehand across court lands just marginally wide to help Nadal to a love hold. Gasquet will have to serve to stay in it next

NADAL 7-5 4-1 - BREAK - An ace from Gasquet helps him out at 15-30 but Nadal is on a march as he breaks for a second time in this second set, the Frenchman failing to land a forehand down the line, instead hitting long

NADAL 7-5 3-1 - The Frenchman lands another outstanding backhand winner down the line but it is not enough to help him fashion any break back points, and Nadal goes on to hold when Gasquet's forehand goes long

NADAL 7-5 2-1 - Gasquet produces a confidence building lob-volley which perfectly lands just inside the corner way across court and beats Nadal for pace, and the Frenchman goes on to hold and get off the mark in this second set

NADAL 7-5 2-0 - Nadal gets himself out of a spot of bother from 15-30 down, drilling a forehand winner down the line, before going on to hold to consolidate the break with his second ace of the afternoon

NADAL 7-5 1-0 - BREAK - Nadal marginally misses a forehand to squander a first break point but a great reaction forehand stop volley at an acute angle on the second is more than enough to beat Gasquet for pace and the world number one is well on his way into the final now. He leads by a set and a break

Phew! What a first set! Being a set down against Nadal is not a particularly happy place to be but the positive for Richard Gasquet is that he's come from a set down in each of his last two matches, against Roger Federer and then yesterday against Tomas Berdych

NADAL 7-5 - SET - An attempted lob from Nadal drops long after a ferocious forehand approach shot from Gasquet and it hands the Frenchman a break back point. The Spaniard saves it with a great first serve down the centre of the court that Gasquet can only return well wide before going on to earn himself a set point with a forehand winner right onto the line after a lengthy, challenging rally. And one chance is all he needs as he seals the set when Gasquet hits a return into the net!

NADAL 6-5 - BREAK - Really aggressive play from Nadal as he makes his move with a series of huge forehands, the last of which Gasquet can only hit wide on an attempted backhand passing shot. That brings up two break points for Nadal but he only needs the one, spotting Gasquet ghosting into the net, and dinking his backhand passing shot back behind the Frenchman. Nadal will serve for the set after the change of ends

NADAL 5-5 - And so the match rumbles along on serve as Nadal holds once again, Gasquet managing just the one point (a forehand winner down the line doing the trick) before the Spaniard holds it with a vicious forehand down the line that goes for a winner

NADAL 4-5 - Gasquet holds once again, although a complete mis-hit does not help him as Nadal levels at 30-30. But the Frenchman recovers in time to hold from there, with the Spaniard dumping his attempted off-forehand passing shot into the top of the net

NADAL 4-4 - Much more straight forward this time from Nadal as he holds without any drama and back-to-back forehand winners. Who will crack first? Nadal or Gasquet?

NADAL 3-4 - Gasquet does not look in anyway disappointed by his failure to capitalise on those break points as he races through another service hold, sealing the game with a neat little drop shot that Nadal can only return wide as he struggles to get up to the ball

NADAL 3-3 - Gasquet really is playing fantastic tennis, especially on the backhand wing, as he riffles a cross court backhand winner to bring up two break points. The Frenchman had both feet off the ground when he played that. Amazing strength. Nadal saves the first by working his way into the net and finding a forehand winner while Gasquet squanders the second by failing to land his return in court. And he goes on to hold with a forehand winner, this time down the line, from the mid-court

NADAL 2-3 - Gasquet finds some absolutely stunning angles with his one-handed backhand as he drills one across court with Nadal firing a slightly erratic forehand well long in reply to allow the Frenchman to sneak out in front once again

NADAL 2-2 - forehand approach shot into the net from Nadal hands Gasquet his first break point of the afternoon, although the Spaniard is quick to save it with a cute forehand drop shot that Gasquet cannot get too before the second bounce. And he goes on to hold with an emphatic forehand approach shot right into the corner of the court

NADAL 1-2 - Gasquet has made a bright start to this clash and flashes a backhand winner past Nadal to the delight of the crowd before going on to hold by drawing the Spaniard into the net and producing a forehand passing shot winner

NADAL 1-1 - A blisteringly paced forehand down the line from Nadal is too much for Gasquet to handle and he volleys into the net to hand Nadal triple game point. The Frenchman comes up with a stunning forehand lob winner on the first but a big first serve, that Gasquet returns long, sees Nadal hold on the second and that's game