Stanislas Wawrinka defeated David Ferrer, 6-1, 7-6 (3), to advance to the Monte Carlo final for the first time.
The Australian Open champion, who hit 31 winners compared to eight for Ferrer, has not dropped serve in the tournament in reaching the third Masters final of his career.
Wawrinka ran down a drop shot and angled a forehand reply winner to break for a 2-0 lead. He consolidated at 15 for 3-0.
The only hint of trouble the third-seeded Swiss encountered in the opening set came in the fifth game. Wawrinka saved two break points before crunching a forehand winner down the line to extend his lead to 5-0 after just 24 minutes of play. At that point, Wawrinka had a 14-0 advantage in winners and was pushing Ferrer around the court in most of the baseline exchanges.
Ferrer finally stopped the bleeding, holding at 30 for 1-5. It was a brief reprieve. Wawrinka ended a 15-shot rally blasting a backhand winner up the line to take the first set, 6-1, in 31 minutes hitting 16 winners to one for Ferrer.
The sixth-seeded Spaniard fought off a break point to hold in the first game of the second set.
Wawrinka opened the tiebreaker cracking a forehand winner crosscourt to earn the mini break. A brilliant backhand winner down the line gave the Swiss another mini break and a 4-0 lead in the tie breaker. Wawrinka closed on his second match point when Ferrer netted a backhand.
It was Wawrinka's 100th career Masters win. Bidding for his first Masters title, Wawrinka will face either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Davis Cup teammate Roger Federer in Sunday's final.