Nadal and Murray in semi-final showdown

Rejuvenated defending champion Rafael Nadal set-up a mouth-watering French Open semi-final clash against British fourth seed Andy Murray on Wednesday as both men clinched impressive straight sets wins.

Nadal, who will be 25 on Friday, the day of the semi-final, turned in easily his most impressive performance of the tournament, demolishing Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3).

It was the Spaniard’s second successive French Open win over Soderling after his victory in the 2010 final had avenged his stunning fourth round defeat to the Swede the year before, still Nadal’s only loss in Paris against 43 wins Murray charged into the semi-finals for the first time with a 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-2 win over Argentinian veteran Juan Ignacio Chela.

He is just the second British player to reach the last four in Paris in the Open era (since 1968) after Tim Henman did so in 2004.

With Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic contesting the other semi-final, it will be the first time since the 2006 French Open that the top four seeds are into the last four in a Grand Slam event.

Despite being on the verge of losing his world number one spot to Djokovic, who he could yet meet in Sunday’s title match, Nadal shook off the shackles which had restricted his performances in the earlier rounds.

Soderling, the 2009 and 2010 runner-up, was undone by 41 unforced errors.

“I played a very tough opponent. I’m happy I’m through to the semis,” said Nadal.

“I was much better than in previous matches. I was more solid and Robin made more mistakes than usual.”

Nadal was 3-0 up with a double break in the first set, the second of which was created by a sweet backhand pass, picked off his toes. Soderling clawed back one of the breaks but Nadal, mixing breathtaking defence and accuracy from the back of court, got the best of a series of gruelling, rallies to take the 49-minute opener.

AFP