Nadal sets up semi-final showdown with Federer

World tennis number one Rafael Nadal will square off against Swiss rival Roger Federer in a rare semi-final showdown today that will be their first match on American soil in six years.

Spain’s Nadal reached the last four at the $9 million WTA and ATP Masters tournament on Thursday by beating Czech Tomas Berdych 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Third seed Federer barely broke a sweat as his quarter-final match was called off after just 10 minutes when Frenchman Gilles Simon couldn’t continue because of a neck injury.

Federer and Nadal, who have 110 career singles titles between them, meet in the night match on centre court.

The last time they faced each other in the United States was the 2005 Miami championship game in which Federer rallied from two sets down to beat Nadal 2-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-1 for the title.

“For me, it’s like (a) really special thing when we play each other,” Nadal said.

“Because we play always really important matches... very few times we played in semi-finals of one tournament.”

The two giants have met 20 times since their last meeting in Miami with Nadal winning 13 of those, including a dozen finals. In their 22 career meetings, just three have been in the semis of a tournament.

The two women’s finalists were confirmed yesterday. Eighth seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus beat Russian third seed Vera Zvonareva 6-0, 6-3 in a night match to reach the final.

Azarenka next faces former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova who rallied for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over German Andrea Petkovic in the other semi-final.

Nadal clinched victory over the Czech Berdych by winning the final eight points, shook hands at the net and celebrated by throwing his orange wrist bands into the crowd.

The Spaniard, who was bothered by a nerve problem in his right arm for part of the match, blasted eight aces and hammered 32 winners. Berdych fired 11 aces but made 30 unforced errors in the two hour, 17 minute match on centre court.

Men’S Semi-Final

Djokovic beat Fish 6-3, 6-1.