Hello and welcome to the first of the Madrid Masters quarter-finals between world number five Rafael Nadal and world number four David Ferrer

Nadal, applauding Ferrer off the court, is through to the semi-finals where he will face the winner of the next match on court - Japanese 14th seed Kei Nishikori or Spanish wildcard Pablo Andujar.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) 6-0 - GAME, SET & MATCH! Ferrer looks to be crusing towards a hold to 15 to at least get off the mark but it quickly falls apart and a forehand long hands Nadal his first match point. His forehand down the line is called wide but over-turned when the umpire comes down to check the mark. They replay the point and this time there is no doubt as Ferrer goes wide with a backhand down the line.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) 5-0 - Rafa slides out wide into a backhand only to smack himself in the head with his racquet when it bounces up off the ground and into him. He quickly pulls up allowing Ferrer the easy forehand volley. But Nadal does hold without any further drama and Ferrer will have to serve to keep this match alive and avoid the dreaded bagel set, after the change of ends.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) 4-0 - BREAK! Nadal is almost falling over when he flicks a forehand passing shot winner down the line after a decent forehand volley from Ferrer. Back-to-back double faults from the fourth seed don't help his cause as they hand Nadal two more break points. And, although the first goes begging with a forehand long, Nadal does secure the double break when he produces another forehand winner down the line.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) 3-0 - More misery for Ferrer as Nadal holds to consolidate the break and moves closer to a semi-final berth against either Pablo Andujar or Kei Nishikori.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) 2-0 - BREAK! Ferrer races up to the net and slides into a backhand but he can't quite pick the ball up off his shoelaces instead hitting into the net on his first game point. Another game point also goes begging when the 31-year-old sends a regulation forehand long. He also fails to take advantage of a third before gifting Nadal the early break with another forehand long.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) 1-0 - Ferrer refuses to go away and quickly fashions himself an early break. Nadal saves it with a service winner though before finding a spectacular flicked backhand lob that lands right on the baseline. An ace seals the hold for the world number five.

NADAL 4-6 7-6(3) - SET! Nadal only needs one of those points to force the deciding set as Ferrer fails to control another return. Is that Ferrer's chance gone now?

NADAL 4-6 6-6 (6-3) - TIE-BREAK! Nadal has picked up his level once again after those first couple of points in this breaker and he now finds himself in possession of three set points after a Ferrer error.

NADAL 4-6 6-6 (4-2) - TIE-BREAK! Ferrer drops the opening point of the breaker before taking both of Nadal's serve's, one when Rafa hits long and one with a smash winner, only to then drop both of his service points with a backhand and then a forehand wide down the same line. A Ferrer return just long of the baseline hands Nadal the mini-break lead at the change of ends.

NADAL 4-6 6-6 - Another unforced error from Nadal sees him in even more trouble at 15-30 down. But Ferrer goes back to him with a forehand on the next point and it completely lets Nadal off the hook, the Spaniard going on hold and force the tie-break without having to face a break point.

NADAL 4-6 5-6 - Ferrer holds to love to leave Rafa serving to stay in the match after the change of ends. Massive game coming up after the break. Surely Nadal is not about to follow Djokovic and Federer in departing the tournament? At the very least Ferrer knows he will get a look at a tie-break.

NADAL 4-6 5-5 - BREAK! Nadal drops the first point when he slips on the baseline (how few times have we see that from Nadal over the years?). He recovers to take the second when Ferrer plays it too safe with a series of passing shots and then goes long across court. But Rafa goes 15-30 down and then also break point down with errors, while another forehand long from the former world number one allows Ferrer to break back once again. All square in this second set.

NADAL 4-6 5-4 - BREAK! A catalogue of errors from Ferrer as he concedes his serve for a second straight time. Nadal brings up the break point with a very safe overhead that Ferrer nets in response, before securing it when Ferrer sends a forehand sailing long. Nadal will serve for the second set after the change of ends.

NADAL 4-6 4-4 - Nadal holds without too much trouble to get things fully back on track in this second set. The momentum has firmly shifted over to Nadal's side of the net again now but it looked like earlier in this set as well and Ferrer managed to turn it around then.

NADAL 4-6 3-4 - BREAK! A change of racquet from Nadal in between games seems to have made all the difference as he breaks back immediately to get things back on serve in this second set.

NADAL 4-6 2-4 - BREAK! Nadal saves another break point with a couple of huge curling forehands doing the damage before dinking a drop shot over the net for a winner. But Ferrer earns himself a second chance and this time he does break with a forehand winner into the mid-court after pushing Nadal wide with a cross court forehand.

NADAL 4-6 2-3 - Ferrer back to his best on serve as he holds to 15 after back-to-back forehands drift long from Nadal. Impressive recovery from the 31-year-old Spaniard.

NADAL 4-6 2-2 - BREAK! Ferrer again opts for the inside-out forehand across court and this time he succeeds in finding a winner to bring up immediate break back points. He gets it done on the first however, Nadal a little guilty of not getting it done at the net and instead allowing his opponent to thread a backhand passing shot down the line for a winner.

NADAL 4-6 2-1 - BREAK! Nadal is quick to set up another three break points with a backhand winner down the line. This time he only needs the one though, Ferrer sending a inside-out forehand wide across court to concede his serve.