Nadal demolishes Ferrer to stay on course for seventh title

David Ferrer’s attempt to beat Rafael Nadal in a French Open semi-final was always going to be a thankless task, but it soon became an exercise in bleak futility this afternoon, as the six-time champion blasted him off court, winning their French Open semi-final 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 46 minutes. This was the widest margin of victory in a men's semi since 1986, and fully deserved, such was the total dominance of the second seed.

No-one gave the no.6 seed much chance of inflicting Nadal’s second defeat in 52 career outings at Roland Garrros, but some thought he might manage a set, or at least take the score somewhere near the tiebreak. It was not to be.

Nadal demolishes Ferrer to stay on course for seventh title

Competitive start

For a short while, Ferrer flattered to deceive – or maybe the flattery was Nadal’s, as he took a few games to settle. Ferrer held to love and forced Rafa to deuce on his own opening serve as he pushed him around the court. Seven points passed on the Ferrer serve before any counted against him, and that was only because he netted. At 2-1 Ferrer sent a forehand down the line, and while Nadal reached it, Ferrer had a simple job of delivering a winner for break point.

Patient, tactical play by Nadal saw him save it. Ferrer, still aggressive, carved another break point. This time he had the chance to put the ball away, but chose the wrong shot and the opportunity had gone. The no.2 seed had surrendered his serve just once so far this tournament (in the first round against Simone Bolelli), and Ferrer did not threaten him again.

On the blustery Philippe Chatrier court, Nadal suddenly switched up several gears and in no time was at 0-30 on Ferrer’s serve. A long rally saw Ferrer dump a forehand in the net, which he followed by sending a backhand long. If that wasn’t bad enough, Nadal not only held to love but also broke to love again, creating a blaze of 16 successive points won. The set flashed by, and from all those good 

beginnings Ferrer was left with a scant two games to his name.

No stopping Rafa

Nadal was hitting the lines relentlessly. At 1-1 came an extraordinary rally where Nadal ran into the net and skidded on the clay to end up on his behind – yet played a stroke while sitting down, then scrambled to his feet to deliver a lob which Ferrer could only net. All this for break point. Ferrer sent the ball long and the damage was done. There is little doubt he must have been relieved by the sight of rain at 1-4, and the pair went off court for a 55-minute delay.

But when they came back it was to more of the same. Ferrer gamely saved one set point, but Nadal slammed the other away to complete a set in which he had not lost a single point on his first serve. The third set was even more of a one-man show, Nadal running round his forehand to hit winner after winner, serving long and hard, and finding angles that sent poor Ferrer scurrying. Wrapped up in just 31 minutes, it ended with Nadal hitting a cross-court forehand that sealed the most impressive of victories.

"I did almost everything right," said Nadal. "But I don’t believe in perfection. It does not exist. You can always play better. I am not thinking I am in the final without losing a set; I am just thinking I am in the final. Experience has taught me you can lose when you are playing fantastic; you can win when you are not playing that well. Last year I had the impression I didn’t really play that well, whereas this year I am playing really well."

Asked about the moment when he fell in mid-point, he said: “I felt confidence, because I was playing well. Seriously, my eyes were constantly on the ball. So even though I am on the floor, I had the time to hit the ball in reasonable good position."

Ferrer seemed almost too stunned to comment after so heavy a defeat. "I was not aggressive enough," he said. "There was nothing I could do to fight back. He put pressure on me when he needed to. I tried to do my best but he was calmer than I was and took control of the match. I didn’t have any chance. I’m a bit sad because I didn’t really play well today. Maybe this wasn’t my best match of these two weeks but I’m very happy."