Tennis

Nadal tops Moya, advances at French Open

(AP)
Updated: 2007-06-07 00:38

Rafael Nadal moved closer to a third straight French Open title Wednesday, beating 1998 champion Carlos Moya 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after winning a point to fellow-countryman Carlos Moya, during their quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament, at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, June 6, 2007. [AP]

The second-seeded Spaniard, who is 19-0 in his career at the French Open, has not dropped a set in the tournament this year. He next will face Novak Djokovic, who reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating Igor Andreev of Russia 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Last year at Roland Garros, Djokovic retired while trailing Nadal in the quarterfinals.

"He's the best player in the world on this surface," the sixth-seeded Djokovic said. "He plays with a lot of motivation and confidence. Physically he's very ready."

Nadal won the final eight games of the match. Moya saved one match point with a backhand volley, but double-faulted to set up Nadal's second match point, which Nadal won with a forehand that Moya could barely get his racket on.

Djokovic also had an easy time against Andreev.

"I was aggressive from the start and that was the key," Djokovic said. "The result is not showing the right picture about the match — it was not easy to play Andreev. He's the kind of player who makes you work for the points, he produces a lot of spin."

Nadal is 3-1 against Djokovic, but the Serb beat Nadal in the quarterfinals at Key Biscayne, Fla., in March.

"It's not the same match, it's not the same player," Djokovic said. "On clay you have to do more to try and earn the point against him."

Djokovic jumped in the air when he went up 3-0 in the third set. The 125th-ranked Andreev could not find a way back, and Djokovic won on his first match point when Andreev hit a forehand into the net — one of many similar errors he made during the match.

"You keep winning matches, so you think you can do it," said Andreev, who beat third-seeded Andy Roddick in the opening round. "Unfortunately, today it didn't happen and I couldn't reach the semifinal. But I don't think it will be my last quarterfinal."

Andreev said Djokovic was strong across the board.

"He has no bad shots. He does everything very well," Andreev said. "Defending very well, serving very well. Mentally he is so strong for a young age."

The 20-year-old Djokovic took command early, winning five straight games from 3-3 in the first set to go up 2-0 in the second.

Djokovic is the third Serb to reach the semifinals this year at Roland Garros. Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic reached the women's semifinals on Tuesday.

"Phenomenal for such a small country," Djokovic said. "Especially with no tennis tradition."

In the men's other semifinal on Friday, top-ranked Roger Federer will try to improve to 9-0 against fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko. Federer lost a set for the first time in 12 Grand Slam matches Tuesday, but regrouped to beat ninth-seeded Tommy Robredo 7-5, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2. Davydenko eliminated No. 19 Guillermo Canas 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.