Rafael Nadal remains on course for a fifth Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell title after beating Nikolay Davydenko 6-3 6-2.

Nadal has now won 23 successive matches in Barcelona and has a 24-1 record in the event.

His only loss came to countryman Alex Corretja in the second round in 2003, when he made his tournament debut aged 16.

In blustery conditions Nadal saved all six break points he faced and converted four of his nine chances to improve his career record over the Russian to 4-2.

Davydenko will nevertheless be encouraged by reaching the last four as he continues his comeback from a heel injury which sidelined him for two months.

The final will be an all-Spanish affair after fourth seed David Ferrer recovered from a set down to beat Chile's Fernando Gonzalez.

Fifth seed Gonzalez took the opening set 6-2 but Ferrer took the second by the same margin and then prevailed 7-5 in a tense deciding tie-break.