Image source, Getty Images

Here's the developing match report. Plenty of positives for Andy Murray, mind, as he now heads to Paris for the French Open, which starts on 25 May.

That's all for tonight. As ever, thanks for your company. Until next time, it's goodnight from me.

Nadal will take on Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-finals after the Bulgarian 12th seed's opponent Tommy Haas of Germany retired with a shoulder injury.

Victory for Nadal sees him reach his 54th Masters 1000 semi-final and ninth in Rome. He has never lost at the quarter-final stage in this tournament.

Nick Wall:, external What a match this has been! Two great champions digging deep. It's been worth the near three-year wait.

Murray played a stunning first set and put in a resilient performance in the third to really push Nadal but ultimately, the world number one just had too much for the Scot on the red stuff. Murray will have to wait for a first victory over Nadal on clay.

Murray starts the game confidently, moving forward to receive the second serve in the first point, but he gets his footwork wrong as the point progresses, putting himself out of position and Nadal regains control to win it and move 15-0 ahead. Murray tries everything to keep himself in this match, sending balls back that he has no right to get to, but Nadal has an answer for every one and the Spaniard brings up two match points. He takes the first and it's game over for Murray.

Nadal raises his level at just the right time, the Spaniard sending Murray all over the place in the first two points to being up 0-30. Murray looks in control of the next, but a poor smash is punished by Nadal. Three break points. Double fault. Nadal on the verge of another semi-final in Rome.

Murray lets out a roar of frustration as he sends a regulation forehand sail long to give up the first point of the game. The Scot then sends a backhand into the tramlines and dumps a forehand into the net when on the run to give Nadal three game points. The Spaniard only needs one as he watches Murray's return go wide. Pressure back on Murray.

Murray has hit 16 unforced errors in this set to Nadal's five and the latest one of those sees him put under a spot of pressure at 15-30. A wild backhand from Nadal brings the game level but he conjures up some magic in the next point, whipping a forehand down the line, on the run, to bring up break points.

Chants of "Andy, Andy, Andy" ring out as the Scot puts a smash away to force deuce. Break point Nadal but he misses out on a conversion by centimetres as a crosscourt pass sails just wide. Murray's resilience brings up game point and the hold is complete as Nadal put too much on his return and it goes long. Murray just one game away from his first win over Nadal on clay.

We're seeing two great champions go toe-to-toe out here, Murray winning a 22-shot rally as Nadal finally runs out of steam. But the Spaniard ultimately comes out on top to hold serve and level the set. Big game for Murray coming up.

Richard Powell:, external Forget Bambi on ice...This is like Rocky on clay! Relentless tennis from both players.

A loose Nadal forehand sits up and asks to be put away, but Murray sends it into the net to bring up two break points for Nadal. The world number one only needs the first, somehow scooping up a Murray smash and while the Scot gets a racquet on the ball, he can't keep it in court. Nadal breaks back. You can see how much it means to the Spaniard who clenches both his fists. What a night in Rome.

Nadal drops his head under a weight of pressure as Murray rustles up three break points. But Murray wastes the first two as he finds the net and Nadal saves the third with a brilliant first serve. Deuce. The Scot regroups and lands a phenomenal crosscourt forehand to bring up a fourth break point and Nadal can't cope with a blistering return in the next to give Murray the game. Scintillating stuff from the Scot.

Good response from Murray who wins his service game for the loss of just one point to edge ahead again.

Image source, Getty Images

It's the perfect response from world number one Nadal who cruises through his service game to love, closing it out with an ace.

Patrick Mouratoglou,, external coach of Serena Williams: It's been such a long time since I've seen #Andy play that level of tennis. What a match on both sides!"

Andrew Harvey:, external Scintillating tennis from Murray! Good omens for the French Open going toe to toe to the greatest clay court player ever.

Murray is starting to find his range again, the control coming back into his game but Nadal keeps the pressure on and musters up a break point at 40-30. A loose backhand from Nadal sails into the tramlines and we're at deuce. Two domineering points from Murray seal the game and the Scot edges in front for the first time in this set.

Nadal dominates but somehow, Murray hands in there. A sensational exchange at the net follows, with Murray racing back, reaching for a ball that's behind him and then sending it down the line to bring up deuce. Extraordinary.

Then Murray brings up a break point with a fizzing forehand down the line. Nadal saves it, but Murray brings up another. That one goes wanting as he dumps the ball in the net. Deuce again.

A third break point. That one disappears as another backhand sails into the net. A fourth break point, this time courtesy of a tasty forehand drop volley, and this time, the Scot takes it as the Spaniard's defence eventually gives way. Game on.

Oh dear. Murray looks more assertive as moves to 30-0 clear, but his game then unravels and Nadal races through the next four points to break serve with ease.