TENNIS/Men's Singles: There has barely been a moment when Roger Federer has not looked like matching Bjorn Borg's perfect 1980 record of winning the French Open title without dropping a set. The world number one's mastery of his racquet on the only surface on which he does not yet possess a Grand Slam title has not yet been seriously questioned, even at this point deep into the second week of competition.
Yesterday against Victor Hanescu, Federer might have thought it being a quarter-final, he would be delayed a little longer than in earlier rounds. Only one of his previous four matches had lasted longer than two hours. The Romanian detained Federer for four minutes over the two-hour mark, a late piece of resistance and three double faults as the number one was serving for the match keeping him two games longer on court than he might have liked in the 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 win.
Federer's semi-final opponent, Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal, was kept on court for only four minutes longer. His three-set 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 match was essentially won in the first set as David Ferrer fronted up in a tough, brawling hour of tennis, which he narrowly lost 7-5 before crumbling under the furious game of the 18-year-old from Majorca.
For Nadal each day is one of discovery. He has not been in a Grand Slam semi-final before in this his debut Roland Garros. Federer, with career wins in the Grand Slams of New York, Melbourne and London, has left his footprints everywhere. Having also shown a heightened level of consistency in making it into the semi-final stages of the last four majors, his familiarity is very much dealing with the pressures that surround the last weekend of tournaments.
Ranked 90 in the world Hanescu would have been the lowest ranked Grand Slam semi-finalist since Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001 and just the second Romanian, after Ile Nastase to get so far. But that was never likely as the Swiss player sped off to a 6-2 first set lead. It then looked likely the match would be his shortest of the tournament but a 7-6 second set and the inexplicable double faults at the end of the third kept the number one working. "I remember one time at a satellite I served three double faults from the start. So that I guess is eight years ago in Switzerland," said Federer.
His match-up with Nadal has been greatly anticipated. The Spaniard's left-handed, fist-pumping, screaming all round I'm-a-kid-up-for-anything attitude has been compelling to watch. There is no reason to believe Nadal can beat Federer but he is the one physical presence in the draw that could come closest to causing an upset.
"We have very few lefties," said Federer. "In a way it is something we have missed in the last years since we lost Rios and Ivanisevic on the circuit. We have to get used to playing against Nadal because we have very, very few players playing like he does."
Already Federer has been compared to Pete Sampras because of the apparent ease he is able to pick opponents apart and his ability to sustain his game at a level far above the best of most other players on the tour. But Sampras, with his 14 Grand Slam titles, was never able to win the French Open.
"I think that today I can be pleased," said Federer. "It was one of my best matches ever. This is why I can say I'm pleased with my level of tennis. It's very important to keep that level."
On meeting Nadal, Federer was non-committal. The two players met in the final of the Miami tournament, where Federer won. But on Clay, Nadal is a different opponent, his offensive game and nasty spins even troublesome for players at the top end of the game.
"I'm feeling much calmer now than when I started the tournament," said the teenager. "I feel I'm playing to a good level and that really helps me to envisage this match. He's number one, I'm 18. That's a factor. I think it's 50-50. But I'll play the way I always do. I'll give it fight, I'll give it my all."
