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PARIS — Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer advanced on Tuesday to a hotly anticipated semifinal at the French Open.
Federer, playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015, earned his spot by defeating his Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, in the quarterfinals.
That match ended minutes after Nadal’s comprehensive 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Kei Nishikori.
The result was not surprising, considering the second-seeded Nadal is an 11-time champion at Roland Garros and had a 10-2 career record against Nishikori. The ease of the win could not have been much of a surprise, either.