Djokovic, Nadal play Paris Open final a match early

It has been nearly two weeks since a murmur and a few groans went through the room in Paris after Rafael Nadal landed on the same side of the French Open draw as Novak Djokovic.

The men's tournament has been a waiting game ever since, but the wait will end today when Djokovic, the world's No 1 player, and Nadal, the most successful clay-court player in history, face each other in the semi-finals.

It will feel like a final before the final, but neither the top-seeded Djokovic nor the third-seeded Nadal was prepared to bemoan that incongruity after their straight-set victories at Roland Garros.

Nadal was the more impressive, routing the resurgent Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, on the main Philippe Chatrier Court in the brilliant sunshine. Djokovic was nearly as efficient across the concourse in the smaller Suzanne Lenglen Court, warding off the multipronged threat posed by the 35-year-old German Tommy Haas and winning, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.

Today's other semi-final will match David Ferrer of Spain and the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, neither of whom has won a grand slam title.

"It is what it is," Djokovic said of facing Nadal one round earlier than usual. "I don't want to talk about what if, what if. We are playing the semi-final and we are both in good shape, and it's going to be a good match."