Eight-time defending champion Rafael Nadal recorded his 46th consecutive win at the Monte Carlo Masters by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 7-6 (7-3) on Saturday to reach the final.

The Spaniard has now reached five straight ATP finals since returning from a seven-month layoff following a left knee injury.

He will face the winner of Saturday’s later semi between top-ranked Novak Djokovic and the unseeded Fabio Fognini of Italy.

The sixth-seeded Tsonga saved four match points as he rallied back from 5-1 down to force a second-set tiebreaker, which was evenly poised at 3-3 before Tsonga started making unforced errors again by forcing his shots.

Nadal clinched the victory with a forehand winner and took a step closer to a ninth straight Monte Carlo title and 23rd Masters title overall.