Marat Safin reached the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time by overpowering Alberto Martin 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Friday.

His reward for a forceful performance is a match against Guillermo Coria after the third-seeded Argentine, runner-up here last year, beat compatriot David Nalbandian 6-4, 6-3 in a tight contest.

"The score may look easy but it was a complicated match," Coria said.

In the bottom half of the draw, fourth seed Rainer Schuettler wasted no time dismissing a lightweight Tim Henman, the burly German hammering the sixth-seeded Briton 6-3, 6-1 in just 62 minutes.

Henman put the defeat down to fatigue and Schuettler knows he will have a much harder task on Saturday when he lines up opposite Spain's Carlos Moya, who ousted Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-6.

"Against Tim, it was not far from the perfect match," the German said. "I served well, I returned well, I put him under a lot of pressure.

"Now it's Moya. We played seven times, but never on clay. I guess it's his favourite surface but I have nothing to lose."

Moya certainly will not take Schuettler lightly.

"He must be playing very well," the Spanish fifth seed said. "I respect him a lot. Maybe his favourite surface isn't clay but still he has the game and he can play well here.

"I hope my experience on clay will help me win this match but still, it's gonna be tough."

Safin had been a strong favourite heading into his last- eight clash, having won all five previous matches against Martin, and did not disappoint.

"I wanted to finish the match quickly in the second set and that is when I started to make some mistakes," Safin said.

"But then in the third set I got my confidence back and that was it."

U.S. Open champion in 2000, Safin was playing his first quarter-final at a Masters Series event since Bercy in 2002.

He missed much of last season through injury but returned to the circuit in fine fashion this year, reaching the Australian Open final.

Now ranked 25th in the world, Safin knows he must play at his best against Coria.

"I played more aggressive, attacking players earlier in the tournament, now I am facing the real claycourt specialists," he said. "It is not easy to change your game to do this. But I will try.

"Today was the first real claycourt test. I am happy I came through. But Coria will be really tough."