U.S. Open: Rafael Nadal crushes Andy Roddick

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Defending champion and second-seeded Rafael Nadal met little resistance from 29-year-old American Andy Roddick on Friday in a U.S. Open men’s quarterfinal. The Spaniard beat Roddick, who won the 2003 Open title, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3, eliminating the last U.S. man in the singles draw.

Nadal will play fourth-seeded Andy Murray on Saturday in the second semifinal, after top-seeded Novak Djokovic meets third-seeded Roger Federer. The men’s semifinals will begin at 9 a.m. PDT.

Roddick received medical treatment on his left thigh twice during the match but when Nadal broke Roddick’s serve in the very first game it was an indication that Roddick had no weapons to hurt Nadal, who made the semifinals at the Open for the fourth straight year.

For the second time this year, the top four seeded men have advanced to the semifinals at a Grand Slam event (it also happened at the French Open), and for the third straight major, Nadal and Murray will play each other in the semifinals. Nadal beat Murray in straight sets at the French Open and in four sets at Wimbledon.

Murray said the sport benefits when the top four men compete at the end of a major.

‘I think it’s good for tennis,’ Murray said. ‘What people would like to see would be for you to play your best tennis here.’

Wimbledon just missed having the top four when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga upset Federer in the quarterfinals, and David Ferrer upset Nadal in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open to keep the top four out of the semis in Melbourne.

After Roddick’s loss in 1 hour 53 minutes, he shook Nadal’s hand and said, ‘Good luck,’ and he waved his baseball cap at the crowd.

MORE:

Andy Murray beats John Isner in quarterfinals

Rain washes out another day at U.S. Open

Serena Williams moves into semifinals

-- Diane Pucin, reporting from New York