Novak Djokovic powered past Rafa Nadal 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in an unlikely quarterfinal. (Defending champion Nadal was unaccountably seeded sixth.) With the decisive win Djokovic added seal to a position he’s already cemented: World No. 1 and tennis’s most dominant force since Roger Federer’s heyday. Djokovic, like everyone else, has had trouble getting over the Rafa hump at Roland Garros, losing 6 straight matches to the French Open King Nadal before today. (Nadal has won 9 of the last 10 French Opens.)
But it has been only here on the French clay that Nadal still gives Djokovic much trouble. Though they are nearly evenly split against one another in career victories, Djokovic has now won 6 of his last 7 matches against Nadal.
