Nadal, Djokovic set up last four clash

Three-times champion Rafael Nadal [Images] celebrated his 22nd birthday with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 demolition of fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro for a place in the semi-finals of the French Open on Tuesday.

The second seed, who extended his unbeaten run at Roland Garros since his debut in 2005 to 26 matches, will face world number three Novak Djokovic for a place in the final.

The pair met at this stage last year, with Nadal coming out on top in straight sets.

"It all went fine. Of course some players are able to play better than me but I am very happy with my game," Nadal said in a courtside interview.

"I will try and take the next match with humility and calm. Against Djokovic, it will be very tough, very hard until the end."

Nadal set a record for the fewest games conceded en route to a men's semi-final at Roland Garros.

Having dropped only 25 games in his first five matches, he beat Bjorn Borg's record of 26 games in 1978 and 1981.

The claycourt machine has averaged 1.67 lost games per set, with Almagro's help.

Almagro took the opening game but managed only six points in the six following and Nadal bagged the first set after 27 minutes.

The 19th seed went 3-0 down in the second, failing to bother Nadal with his serve, having added only two aces to his collection of 78 in the tournament.

He won the fourth game but never recovered from the effort, dropping the second set and falling 3-1 behind again.

He bowed out when he netted an easy smash on the second match point after one hour and 44 minutes.

Novak Djokovic did not let sentimentality or gathering storm clouds blur his focus as he eked out a 7-5, 7-6, 7-5 win over childhood friend Ernests Gulbis to reach the semi-finals of the French Open on Tuesday.

Third seed Djokovic had sparred with Latvian Gulbis at the Niki Pilic academy in Munich and their all-too familiar games led to a tight contest.

However, the Serbian's greater experience on the big stage allowed him to win the points that mattered on another drizzly day at Roland Garros and he ended the world number 80's challenge with a thunderbolt service winner.

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