Ferrer set for mission impossible against Nadal

Reuters: Such is Rafa Nadal’s vice-like grip on the French Open that his semi-final opponent David Ferrer concedes beating him is “almost impossible.”

Rafa Nadal

Ferrer is a claycourt specialist who has dropped only one set en route to the last four culminating in a straightforward victory over fourth seed Andy Murray on Wednesday.

But such is the six-times champion Nadal’s dominance in Paris, that Ferrer knows the odds are stacked enormously against him when the pair meet on Friday.

“I think you can win a set against Rafa, but there is a difference between winning a set and winning a match,” he told reporters.

“Winning a match against Rafa is almost impossible. He is in such good shape.”

Ferrer has won only four of 15 matches against the Mallorcan battler and his only claycourt success came eight years ago.

The pair have played twice this year, in Spain and in Rome, and Nadal has won both without conceding a set.

“Each match is different. In Godo, I had to be slightly more aggressive and I made mistakes.

“In Rome it was different, because I had opportunities to win a set, but he played extremely well – I tried.”