<p class="title">World number one Rafael Nadal swept aside Grigor Dimitrov to ease into his 12th Monte Carlo Masters final with a 6-4, 6-1 victory on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 31-year-old, who needs to win an 11th Monaco title to retain the number one ranking ahead of Roger Federer, will face either Kei Nishikori or Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Every year is different and equally special," said Nadal, after beating Dimitrov for the 11th time in 12 meetings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"So I'll just focus on doing the things that I have to do to give me another chance tomorrow. That's it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't want to think about another title yet, I just want to think about the way I have to play and try to be ready for it."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal came through a tight first set but always looked too strong for Dimitrov and raced through the second in half an hour.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top seed is bidding for an outright record 31st Masters title this week and extended his run of consecutive sets won on clay to 34.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal, playing his first ATP tournament since he retired from his Australian Open quarterfinal against Marin Cilic in January with a hip injury, has shown no signs of rust.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Following a 6-0, 6-2 last-eight demolition of Dominic Thiem, Nadal has lost only 16 games in four matches this week.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dimitrov immediately put Nadal's serve under pressure with two perfectly-judged lobs forcing deuce, but the top seed came through an eight-minute opener.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal didn't take long to get into his stride, breaking at the first time of asking as Dimitrov struggled in the longer rallies.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Bulgarian continued to go for his shots and brought up three break-back points in game five as Nadal followed a double fault with two wayward groundstrokes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal fired long, before Dimitrov saved a break point himself with a venomous forehand to level at 3-3.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The fourth seed was displaying the resolve needed to push Nadal on his favourite surface, and came back from break point down again as the Spaniard continued to miss chances.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Dimitrov wasted all of his earlier good work, handing Nadal two set points with back-to-back double faults and a wild forehand.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 16-time Grand Slam champion wrapped up the set with a whipped forehand onto the line.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That effectively ended Dimitrov's chances, and Nadal broke to love in the second game of the second set.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal stormed towards the finishing line with eight straight points on his opponent's serve and a wide Dimitrov backhand wrapped up yet another comfortable victory.</p>
<p class="title">World number one Rafael Nadal swept aside Grigor Dimitrov to ease into his 12th Monte Carlo Masters final with a 6-4, 6-1 victory on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 31-year-old, who needs to win an 11th Monaco title to retain the number one ranking ahead of Roger Federer, will face either Kei Nishikori or Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Every year is different and equally special," said Nadal, after beating Dimitrov for the 11th time in 12 meetings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"So I'll just focus on doing the things that I have to do to give me another chance tomorrow. That's it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't want to think about another title yet, I just want to think about the way I have to play and try to be ready for it."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal came through a tight first set but always looked too strong for Dimitrov and raced through the second in half an hour.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top seed is bidding for an outright record 31st Masters title this week and extended his run of consecutive sets won on clay to 34.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal, playing his first ATP tournament since he retired from his Australian Open quarterfinal against Marin Cilic in January with a hip injury, has shown no signs of rust.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Following a 6-0, 6-2 last-eight demolition of Dominic Thiem, Nadal has lost only 16 games in four matches this week.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dimitrov immediately put Nadal's serve under pressure with two perfectly-judged lobs forcing deuce, but the top seed came through an eight-minute opener.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal didn't take long to get into his stride, breaking at the first time of asking as Dimitrov struggled in the longer rallies.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Bulgarian continued to go for his shots and brought up three break-back points in game five as Nadal followed a double fault with two wayward groundstrokes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal fired long, before Dimitrov saved a break point himself with a venomous forehand to level at 3-3.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The fourth seed was displaying the resolve needed to push Nadal on his favourite surface, and came back from break point down again as the Spaniard continued to miss chances.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Dimitrov wasted all of his earlier good work, handing Nadal two set points with back-to-back double faults and a wild forehand.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 16-time Grand Slam champion wrapped up the set with a whipped forehand onto the line.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That effectively ended Dimitrov's chances, and Nadal broke to love in the second game of the second set.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Nadal stormed towards the finishing line with eight straight points on his opponent's serve and a wide Dimitrov backhand wrapped up yet another comfortable victory.</p>