A relatively surprising semifinal lineup in Madrid begins on Saturday with an all-Spanish clash between Rafael Nadal and Pablo Andujar. Tomas Berdych and Stanislas Wawrinka are also in action.
(5) Rafael Nadal vs. Pablo Andujar
Nadal and Andujar will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when the two Spaniards collide in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday. Their only previous encounter came at the 2011 French Open, where Nadal was tested in a 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory. Andujar led 5-1 in the third and had eight set points but he ultimately failed to extend the match.
This is a best-ever tournament for Andujar, who benefited from Roger Federer’s early exit in the last quarter of the draw. After wins over Marin Cilic, John Isner, and Daniel Gimeno-Traver, he upset Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-5 on Friday. The world No. 113, who lost his first four matches of 2013, had been 5-13 for the season prior to this week. Nadal, meanwhile, has not been at his best since winning the Indian Wells title. The world No. 5 lost to Novak Djokovic in the Monte-Carlo final and he was not particularly dominant in Madrid victories over Benoit Paire, Mikhail Youzhny, and David Ferrer (he was two points from defeat on Friday against Ferrer). Still, Nadal will likely treat his quarterfinal as a wake-up call and he will be eager to make mincemeat out of Andujar in quick fashion.
Pick: Nadal 6-2, 6-2
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(6) Tomas Berdych vs. (15) Stanislas Wawrinka
Berdych and Wawrinka will be facing each other for the 11th time in their careers and for the second time this season when they square off in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday. Their most recent showdown came during first-round Davis Cup action, when Berdych–playing on the road in Switzerland–prevailed 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5). One day earlier, Berdych and Lukas Rosol outlasted Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(3), 24-22 in an epic doubles rubber. Overall, the singles head-to-head series is tied up at five wins apiece (Wawrinka leads it 2-0 on clay).
Both men are in outstanding form this year. Berdych boasts a 26-8 record, which includes quarterfinal finishes at the Australian Open and in Miami plus a semifinal showing in Indian Wells. However, the sixth-ranked Czech is still in search of his first 2013 title. So far this week Berdych has taken out Jerzy Janowicz, Kevin Anderson, and Andy Murray. Wawrinka is heating up on the slow stuff, which he has been known to do in the past. The world No. 15 reached the Monte-Carlo quarters and he is coming off a title in Oeiras, where he rolled over David Ferrer in the final. Wawrinka has won eight matches in the last nine days following Madrid scalps of Marius Copil, Santiago Giraldo, Grigor Dimitrov, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Based on current form and surface, Wawrinka would be the pick. The Swiss, though, has several factors working against him. Not only has he played a ton of tennis throughout the last two weeks, but he also needed three sets to get past both Dimitrov and Tsonga–the latter of whom he finished off at close to 2:00 AM. Furthermore, Wawrinka is dealing with a minor neck issue that contributed to his Miami withdrawal earlier this spring. Berdych, meanwhile, finished runner-up to Roger Federer at this event in 2012 and he is looking good again in the high-altitude conditions.
Pick: Berdych 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3
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