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| Nadal to Meet Djokovic in a Final-Like Semifinal | Nadal to Meet Djokovic in a Final-Like Semifinal |
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| PARIS — It has been nearly two weeks since a murmur went through the room in Paris after Rafael Nadal landed on the same side of the French Open draw as Novak Djokovic. | PARIS — It has been nearly two weeks since a murmur went through the room in Paris after Rafael Nadal landed on the same side of the French Open draw as Novak Djokovic. |
| But the wait will end Friday when Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 player, and Nadal, the best clay-court player in history, will face each other in the semifinals. | But the wait will end Friday when Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 player, and Nadal, the best clay-court player in history, will face each other in the semifinals. |
| It will feel like a final before the final, but neither Nadal nor Djokovic was prepared to moan about that after their straight-set victories at Roland Garros on Wednesday. | It will feel like a final before the final, but neither Nadal nor Djokovic was prepared to moan about that after their straight-set victories at Roland Garros on Wednesday. |
| Nadal’s was the more overwhelming, as he routed the resurgent Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, on the main Philippe Chatrier court in the brilliant sunshine. But Djokovic was nearly as efficient across the concourse in the smaller Suzanne Lenglen Court, warding off the multipronged threat posed by 35-year-old Tommy Haas and winning, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 7-5. | |
| “It is what it is,” Djokovic said of facing Nadal in the semifinals instead of in a final. “I don’t want to talk about what if, what if. We are playing the semifinal and we are both in good shape, and it’s going to be a good match.” | “It is what it is,” Djokovic said of facing Nadal in the semifinals instead of in a final. “I don’t want to talk about what if, what if. We are playing the semifinal and we are both in good shape, and it’s going to be a good match.” |
| Their match was the final here last year: a two-day, mood-shifting ordeal that was interrupted by rain when Djokovic was taking command on Sunday evening. | Their match was the final here last year: a two-day, mood-shifting ordeal that was interrupted by rain when Djokovic was taking command on Sunday evening. |
| Nadal won in four sets to secure a record-setting seventh singles title at Roland Garros. He has still lost only once on the red clay in Paris at the Grand Slam tournament that he first played in 2005. | Nadal won in four sets to secure a record-setting seventh singles title at Roland Garros. He has still lost only once on the red clay in Paris at the Grand Slam tournament that he first played in 2005. |
| But Nadal has lost on his favorite surface to Djokovic elsewhere. Although Nadal has won 12 of their 15 matches on clay, they have split the last six, with Djokovic winning the most recent in April in the Monte Carlo final in straight sets. | But Nadal has lost on his favorite surface to Djokovic elsewhere. Although Nadal has won 12 of their 15 matches on clay, they have split the last six, with Djokovic winning the most recent in April in the Monte Carlo final in straight sets. |
| “That is something that can maybe give me that mental edge when I step onto the court, knowing I already won against him on clay this season,” Djokovic said. “Knowing I can do it, even though not many players in the last 10 years have won against him on this surface, and he’s been the most dominant player in the history of this sport on this surface. It’s incredible what he does on this surface. | “That is something that can maybe give me that mental edge when I step onto the court, knowing I already won against him on clay this season,” Djokovic said. “Knowing I can do it, even though not many players in the last 10 years have won against him on this surface, and he’s been the most dominant player in the history of this sport on this surface. It’s incredible what he does on this surface. |
| “But it’s the best of five, so it takes much more than just doing the same thing like in Monte Carlo, you know. It’s a Grand Slam also so there is more, I guess more tension, more things that are important for both of us.” | “But it’s the best of five, so it takes much more than just doing the same thing like in Monte Carlo, you know. It’s a Grand Slam also so there is more, I guess more tension, more things that are important for both of us.” |
| Djokovic has the most at stake statistically. While Nadal has taken this title seven times and won all four of the Grand Slam tournaments, Djokovic is still missing the Roland Garros trophy, and while some past stars might have avoided stating their desire so plainly, Djokovic has dodged nothing. | Djokovic has the most at stake statistically. While Nadal has taken this title seven times and won all four of the Grand Slam tournaments, Djokovic is still missing the Roland Garros trophy, and while some past stars might have avoided stating their desire so plainly, Djokovic has dodged nothing. |
| In Australia in January, he made it clear that winning in Paris was his major goal this season, and he has also embraced the opportunity to win it for his childhood coach Jelena Gencic, who died in Serbia on Saturday at age 76. | In Australia in January, he made it clear that winning in Paris was his major goal this season, and he has also embraced the opportunity to win it for his childhood coach Jelena Gencic, who died in Serbia on Saturday at age 76. |
| At the memorial service for Gencic in Belgrade this week, Djokovic’s mother Dijana read aloud a letter from her son addressed to Gencic. | At the memorial service for Gencic in Belgrade this week, Djokovic’s mother Dijana read aloud a letter from her son addressed to Gencic. |
| “I am sad beyond limits that I cannot come to the funeral,” the letter read. “I know you would be angry if I give up and diminish my chances to fulfill our last wish to win Roland Garros.” | “I am sad beyond limits that I cannot come to the funeral,” the letter read. “I know you would be angry if I give up and diminish my chances to fulfill our last wish to win Roland Garros.” |
| As striking as Djokovic’s ability is to turn defense into offense, his ability to articulate his own emotions and predicaments is also a part of his championship persona. | As striking as Djokovic’s ability is to turn defense into offense, his ability to articulate his own emotions and predicaments is also a part of his championship persona. |
| It is rare that he does not give a considered answer unless he is going for laughs. | It is rare that he does not give a considered answer unless he is going for laughs. |
| “I look forward to it,” he said of the Nadal match. “It’s not the first time I’m playing him. We played over 30 times. I’m sure that we know each other’s game really well. We are in good form. This is it, you know. This is the biggest matchup of our Roland Garros 2013 campaign for both me and him. I guess it’s the small details and few points that can decide a winner, and that’s why I need to be very disciplined and focused in order to get emotionally, physically and mentally ready for that match.” | |
| Asked if there was a chance that this semifinal could be faster than last year’s Australian Open final, which required five hours and 53 minutes for Djokovic to win, Djokovic went for laughs. | Asked if there was a chance that this semifinal could be faster than last year’s Australian Open final, which required five hours and 53 minutes for Djokovic to win, Djokovic went for laughs. |
| “Do you want to see more than six hours’ match?” Djokovic said. “I’m sure I don’t want to be six hours on the court.” | “Do you want to see more than six hours’ match?” Djokovic said. “I’m sure I don’t want to be six hours on the court.” |
| There was little danger of that on Wednesday as Djokovic and Nadal disposed of the opposition in quarterfinals that ended within minutes of each other. | There was little danger of that on Wednesday as Djokovic and Nadal disposed of the opposition in quarterfinals that ended within minutes of each other. |
| On the warmest day of the tournament so far, Nadal’s trademark forehand was particularly lively and devastating, breaking down Wawrinka’s telegenic one-handed backhand with the same ruthless regularity that it has broken down the one-handed backhand belonging to Wawrinka’s more famous Swiss elder, Roger Federer. | On the warmest day of the tournament so far, Nadal’s trademark forehand was particularly lively and devastating, breaking down Wawrinka’s telegenic one-handed backhand with the same ruthless regularity that it has broken down the one-handed backhand belonging to Wawrinka’s more famous Swiss elder, Roger Federer. |
| “It’s difficult to be as strong with the backhand at shoulder height, which is where you have to hit it against Nadal again and again,” Wawrinka said. | “It’s difficult to be as strong with the backhand at shoulder height, which is where you have to hit it against Nadal again and again,” Wawrinka said. |
| Nadal has lost to a man with a one-handed backhand this season. That was Horacio Zeballos, the Argentine who beat Nadal in the final of the clay court tournament in Vina del Mar, Chile. | Nadal has lost to a man with a one-handed backhand this season. That was Horacio Zeballos, the Argentine who beat Nadal in the final of the clay court tournament in Vina del Mar, Chile. |
| But Zeballos is a left-hander, not a right-hander, which means that Nadal’s crosscourt forehand is played to Zeballos’s forehand. | But Zeballos is a left-hander, not a right-hander, which means that Nadal’s crosscourt forehand is played to Zeballos’s forehand. |
| That defeat in Chile also came in Nadal’s comeback tournament after he had missed seven months of play because of a recurring knee problem and an illness. Since Vina del Mar, Nadal has won six of his seven tournaments, the only defeat coming to Djokovic in Monte Carlo. | |
| He was shaky at Roland Garros early in the cold, clammy conditions in the first week, dropping a set to the unseeded Daniel Brands and to Martin Klizan. But he has looked much more like the Nadal of yore in the warmth of the last two rounds, generating more depth with his backhand and conjuring equation after equation that his opponents – Kei Nishikori and Wawrinka – could not solve. | |
| “I think today I played my best match of the year in this tournament,” Nadal said. | |
| A better one will presumably be required on Friday, even if it still sounds strange to say Friday instead of Sunday for a Djokovic-Nadal duel. | |
| “If you win, you didn’t win nothing yet,” Nadal said with a grin. “That’s a big difference.” |