Nadal downs Tomic

Top seed Rafael Nadal and Gael Monfils both struggled on their least-favourite surface Friday before setting up a semi-final at the first edition of the Stuttgart Open to be played on grass.

The former July clay-court tournament is now part of the three-week run-up to Wimbledon after being approached three years ago to consider making the change of surface and date.

Nadal needed almost two and a half hours to defeat fifth seed Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, beating the Australian for the third time as they played on grass for the first time.

The Spaniard has taken six sets and almost five hours on court to win two matches as he struggles to make the switch of surfaces.

He could have been home a winner in straight sets after going up a break in the second set and again holding a 4-2 lead in the tiebreaker eventually won by Tomic, who saved a Nadal match point with an ace.

(AFP)