Hello and welcome to live game-by-game coverage of the Monte-Carlo semi-final between Rafael Nadal and Gilles Simon. I'll (@decwarrington) be taking you through this afternoon's match - let's hope it's better than Novak Djokovic-Tomas Berdych.

Nadal 6-3 6-4 Simon - At one point, Simon's shot clipped the top of the net and bounced back, which was emblematic of the fact he's had little luck today, but there could be little arguements when another cross-court backhand shot, well beyond Simon, gave Nadal victory without conceding a single point in the last game. The conditions were difficult today and there should be no shame on Simon's part, as he played superbly, but Nadal was the favourite and deserves to meet Djokovic in the final.

Nadal 6-3 5-4 Simon - Simon missed a volley at the net but that can be attributed to the conditions, in front of three-time Monte Carlo champion Bjorn Borg, before recovering the take the game, to great applause from the crowd, when outlasting Nadal in a rally which ended when the Spaniard overhit a forehand shot.

Nadal 6-3 5-3 Simon - Nadal's very clever at extracting errors from Simon, without necessarily overpowering him. Despite a double fault - his second of the match - Nadal recovered to hit a back hand shot that Simon couldn't return past the net. Closing in on the final...

Nadal 6-3 4-3 Simon - Superb tennis again between the two; they're battling the conditions brilliantly because they're almost not having an impact at all. Simon's showing he intends to fight for victory by taking this game but if Nadal holds his serve in the next he'll be on the brink of victory.

Nadal 6-3 4-2 Simon - Simon blew two separate break points, one earned when capping a brilliant rally of 32 shots with Nadal by volleying past the Spaniard at the net for advantage, but Nadal fought back and took the game when Simon finished another rally by hitting into the net. Incidentally, in the middle of play, one of the ballboys fell over.

Nadal 6-3 3-2Simon - Wind inhibiting play once more in this game, but unforced errors on Nadal's part save Simon from what was threatening to be a near-decisive break after the clay expert overhit a backhand shot from the baseline on Simon's advantage.

Nadal 6-3 3-1 Simon - Possibly the game's two best points; a great rally between the two, with Simon testing Nadal with his backhand before an excellent backhand return that was never going to be returned followed by another rally - with great variety - before an excellent backhand drop shot that was also unreturnable, which then made it 40-40. The Spaniard then won the game after Simon shot wide when aiming for down the line. He disputed the point but replays confirmed it was out.

Nadal 6-3 2-1 Simon - Nadal now looks set to really take control after breaking Simon, the culmination of which was a superb passage of play where Simon did well to reach a powerful forearm but hit his return into the net. Nadal can make this relatively simple work, potentially, and reach the final as fresh as possible.

Nadal 6-3 1-1 Simon - Brilliant, if routine, from Nadal, taking the game to level the set with a powerful cross-court forehand volley. Simon had no chance of reaching it, let alone returning.

Nadal 6-3 0-1 Simon - tidy tennis from Simon, and a great start to the set for him. No rallies of note but Simon took the game with a neat forearm shot beyond Nadal's positioning and reach.

Nadal 6-3 Simon - a double fault threatened to allow Simon back in the game at 40-15 but an attempted lob from Simon, following some aggressive shot selection from Nadal, went long and gave the Spaniard the second set. Harsh on Simon to be 6-3 down considering he's playing well but it looks highly likely Nadal will now take control.

Nadal 5-3 Simon - After taking the opening two points, Nadal had won the last eight before Simon hit back, but Nadal's stamina proved key in forcing Simon to take extra shots and outlasting him in the rallies, Simon hitting long to concede the game and Nadal now serving for the set...

Nadal 4-3 Simon - Some great tennis. Simon failed to take two break points after a brilliant two-handed backhand put him 15-40 up, but Nadal fought back before taking the game following a superb rally which finished when Simon's backhand shot failed to clear the net.

Nadal 3-3 Simon - Superb, cute tennis once again from Simon, who only recently completed the first consecutive victories over top 10 players of his career, controlling the rallies to take Nadal out of position before forcing an error from the Spaniard who hit wide with a cross-court forehand shot

Nadal 3-2 Simon - Nadal once more in complete control. Simon chased the ball the entire time, from well behind the baseline, something that simply won't work on a clay court. Powerful play from the athletic Spaniard to take the game with a forearm smash by the net

Nadal 2-2 Simon - Nadal more prominent in this game than he was on Simon's last serve but Simon continued to take the Spaniard off balance and control any brief rallies, edging the points.

- Nadal 2-1 Simon - Similar to the opening game; Nadal controls throughout to hold his serve and takes the game with a powerful forehand shot beyond Simon's reach.

- Nadal 1-1 Simon - Defiant and responsive from Simon, taking the game without dropping a point with some aggressive play and serving, a powerful crosscourt forehand taking Nadal off balance and forcing an error to take the game

Nadal 1-0 Simon - Nadal, serving first, largely controls the opening game throughout and made it 1-0 with a powerful forearm shot beyond Simon's reach. Routine play for the Spaniard

Hello and welcome to live game-by-game coverage of the Monte-Carlo semi-final between Rafael Nadal and Gilles Simon. I'll (@decwarrington) be taking you through this afternoon's match - let's hope it's better than Novak Djokovic-Tomas Berdych.