Nadal and Djokovic Breeze Before Moment of Truth

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Nadal and Djokovic Breeze Before Moment of Truth

By Chris Oddo

(June 5, 2013) -- They have been on collision course the moment the 2013 Roland Garros draws were made on the Friday before the tournament, and after Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic each notched convincing straight-set victories in the French Open quarterfinals on Wednesday, their heavily anticipated semifinal is finally slated to become a reality.

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Nadal battered Stan Wawrinka on Court Philippe Chatrier, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, pounding the beleaguered Swiss with a steady array of picture-perfect passing shots and topspin drives, while Djokovic battled past a resurgent Tommy Haas, 6-3, 7-6(5), 7-5 on Court Suzanne Lenglen to earn his 12th consecutive trip to a Grand Slam semifinal.

After a rainy, blustery week one in Paris, one which saw Nadal and Djokovic both struggle with scheduling issues and weather delays, the sun was shining brightly on Wednesday as Djokovic and Nadal both completed their match within a half-hour of each other's.

"I look forward to the match,” said Djokovic, after he avenged a loss to Haas in Miami earlier this year with poinpoint serving and a steady barrage of winners from the baseline. “You know, it's not the first time I'm playing him [Nadal]. We have played over 30 times. I'm sure that we know each other's games really well. We are in good form. This is the biggest match-up of our Roland Garros 2013 campaign for both me and him."

Nadal and Djokovic have met 34 times in total, including five times in Grand Slam finals, but it would be easy to make the argument that the significance of their 35th meeting trumps all the others. Nadal is bidding to win his eighth French Open title and become the first man in the history of tennis to win more than seven titles at any Grand Slam. Djokovic is attempting to complete the prestigious career Grand Slam, a feat that has only been accomplished by seven men in the history of tennis.

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On Wednesday, however, each played like they had nothing on their minds but the business at hand. Nadal, in his best performance of the tournament, dropped only six games against Wawrinka, winning more than half of the points played against the Swiss' serve and converting on 7 of 12 break points.

Nadal did drop serve once in the second set, temporarily letting Wawrinka draw even, but regained control quickly thereafter to cruise to his 57th French Open win in 58 career matches on the terre battue.

"I had a difficult first week," Nadal said afterwards. "The last two matches were much more positive. I played today at a very good level."

Djokovic was tested by 35-year-old Tommy Haas, the oldest French Open quarterfinalist since 1971, but ultimately he came through with the type of gut-check tennis that has helped him win six Grand Slam titles and earn a prolonged stay as the world's top-ranked player. He won a 24-stroke rally at 5-5 in the second set tiebreaker and he took the set and a commanding lead over Haas on the very next point.

Having not faced a break point in the first two sets, Djokovic's level slipped in the third. He was broken twice and in between he berated himself for his lack of concentration, but he took the final two games of the match to send Haas packing in two hours and thirteen minutes.

Djokovic, who has lost only one set at Roland Garros this year, knows he might have to go the distance if he wants to become only the second man in history to defeat Nadal at the French Open.

“I'm ready to go five sets,” he deadpanned.

The two tennis titans have gone five sets only once before, in an epic Australian Open final that lasted five hours and fifty-three minutes. Djokovic won that match in dramatic fashion, but to do the same against the Spaniard on his beloved red clay in Paris will be the challenge of a lifetime.

One thing Djokovic has that most of Nadal's other competition lacks is confidence. Djokovic ended Nadal's eight-year reign in Monte Carlo in April with a stirring victory in the final. The Serb hasn't forgotten it.

"I played a great match when I faced him on clay this year at Monte Carlo," Djokovic said. "That match gave me a bit of confidence against him. But here in Roland Garros, he's very good. He has lost only once in the past 10 years. It will be very difficult for me.”

(Photo Credit: AP)