Two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal will face Serb Novak
Djokovic in the semifinal at the Roland Garros after both pulled
off straight-set wins over their respective rivals on
Wednesday.
Nadal and Djokovic met for the first time in their careers in
the quarterfinals here last year when Djokovic retired with a back
injury while trailing 6-4, 6-4.
The two youngsters have met three more times, all at ATP Masters
Series events this season. Nadal dominated in the Indian Wells
final and the Rome quarterfinals, while Djokovic won in the Miami
quarterfinals.
In the day's first match, Igor Andreev from Russia made his
Grand Slam quarterfinal debut by breaking the sixth-seeded Djokovic
in the opening game, but could not force the Serb to drop serve
again for the remainder of the match.
"It was not easy to play Andreev. I knew it before the match
that he is a specialist for his surface. And he is a kind of player
who makes you work for the points, and he produced a lot of spin.
And he has a lot of effect on this surface," said Djokovic, who
converted on five of his 10 break opportunities and took the
victory with 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
"It's going to be difficult (to play Nadal), I won against him
one time, so it can help me in the next match. He's a big favorite,
whoever he plays against on this surface, but I hope it's going to
be a good match."
Djokovic opened with a nervy start to drop the first serve
making three unforced errors, but the Serb broke back immediately
on top of an Andreev backhand error and visibly added stronger
momentum into his game.
The set went with serve until the eighth game, when the Russian
lost concentration and sent a forehand long to drop serve for the
second time and allow Djokovic the chance to serve out the set.
Djokovic grew in confidence as he continued to challenge Andreev
's serve while comfortably holding his own and snatched the second
set by the same score as the first. After that, the Serb was never
troubled before heading for his semifinal spot.
Djokovic, who celebrated his 20th birthday two weeks ago, will
be the 12th youngest Roland Garros semifinalist in the Open Era. He
is also the first player from his country to reach the Roland
Garros men's semifinals in the Open Era, adding to Serbia's success
at this year's championship.
Nadal had a much easier time, closing out the win in just over
two hours with his seventh successful break of serve. Moya
double-faulted to give the 21-year-old his second match point and
Nadal forcefully delivered a forehand winner to move into the
semifinals 6-4, 6-3, 6-0.
Nadal, the only semifinalist who has yet to drop a set, improved
his Roland Garros record to a perfect 19-0. He is attempting to
become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to collect three
consecutive Roland Garros titles.
The bull-like youngster won the tournament in his event debut in
2005 and made it double the following year.
(Xinhuan News Agency June 7, 2007)