Although the event is held in mostly French-speaking Monte Carlo, the tournament has taken on a Spanish flair.  Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Juan Carlos Ferrero met in the quarterfinals.  Nadal finally got something more than a token challenge against Ferrero, but still won rather handily, 6-4, 6-2.

David Ferrer edged Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 7-6(1).  The only non-Spanish quarterfinals pitted world number 2, Novak Djokovic, against David Nalbandian.  Nalbandian was recovering from injury and has played fairly well returning to tour, but did not pose a serious challenge to Djokovic who recovered to play better than he did against Stanislas Wawrinka in the previous round.  He wins, 6-2, 6-3.

Right now, Verdasco and Montanes are playing a close match.  Verdasco has taken the first set, 6-3, but they are in a tiebreak in the 2nd with Montanes up 5-4 in the tiebreak.  Verdasco had been up 5-1 in the second set and had match points, but Montanes clawed back to win the second set in a tiebreak, and now they’ll play a third set.