Djokovic, Nadal Lead Blockbuster Saturday Semis at Madrid
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Novak Djokovic vs. Kei Nishikori? Rafael Nadal vs. Andy Murray?
ADHEREL
It’s on!
The semifinals were set on Friday at the Mutua Madrid Masters as the cream rose to the top.
Djokovic made Milos Raonic his locker room b***h, improving to 7-0 vs. the Canuck with a 6-3, 6-4 win.
“One of the keys of the match was getting as many returns back in play as possible,” Djokovic said. “I knew that before I stepped on the court that I should not give him too many free points on his serve. That’s where the big servers get a lot of confidence. I returned exceptionally well.”
Nadal’s battle was much more draining, beating a resilient Joao Sousa 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
Murray beat Nadal in last year’s final, but the Brit has lost his last two meetings with the Spaniard.
“We know each other very well,” Nadal said of Murray. “It’s a question of playing my best, and if I am playing my best, I hope to have my chances. If not, it will be almost impossible…Last year he won here, so he knows how to play very well here. That’s a great level that he’s playing.”
Nadal is on a 13-match winning streak after winning Monte Carlo and Barcelona. He is looking to win an Open Era record 50th claycourt title and a fifth Madrid crown.
Djokovic leads the head-to-head with Nishikori 7-2 and has won the last six meetings.
Nadal is 17-6 vs. Murray and has won the last two.
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