Nadal to play Ferrer in semis at French Open

 PARIS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Rafael Nadal beat fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday to set up a semifinal clash¹ with David Ferrer at the French Open.

Against the 12th-seeded Almagro, Nadal saved four break points to dominate² the match, especially in the last two sets.

"It's a difficult match," he told reporters."You play against the best players of the world and one of the best players of the world on this surface."

Nadal, whose only loss at Roland Garros came at the fourth round in 2009, is bidding to become the first player to win seven French Open titles, moving him out of a tie with Swedish legend Bjorn Borg.

The second seed will in the semifinals meet his countryman David Ferrer, the sixth seed, who outgunned fourth seed Andy Murray of Britain 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-2.

"He had his chances and converted⁴ them. He's solid and consistent⁵ and if you don't convert³ opportunities against him, the games become longer and the pressure builds on you," said Murray, who had reached the semifinals in the last five Grand Slams⁶.

The other semifinal will be played between top seed Novak Djokovic and third seed Roger Federer.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova came back from one set down to finish off the giant-killing run of Kazakh qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6 6-2 6-4 and reach her first time ever French Open semifinals.

Doubles specialist Shvedova looked on her way to the semifinals after she won the first set.

But the Czech fourth seed kept her focus through driving rain to complete victory after her 142nd-ranked opponent⁷ drilled a backhand wide on matchpoint.

"I expected it would be tough match and it was actually," said Kvitova.

"She started well and I was very nervous from the beginning making easy mistakes. Then I knew I had to change my game and I had to be the aggressive one and going for the points," she said.

Shvedova said she was worn down by tiredness rather than Kvitova.

"I was just super-tired. In the first set I still had the energy and I played well," she said.

"Then I had just lost energy. The third set is just like I was saying to myself to fight and just try to get all the balls," she added.

Kvitova will next take on title favorite Maria Sharapova for a place in Saturday's final.

Second seed Sharapova beat unheralded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semifinals for the third time.

The Russian took 74 minutes to roll through her 23rd-seeded opponent, making 19 unforced errors and four double faults.

Sharapova expected her clash with Kvitova to be close, but remained confident.

"She's an extremely tough opponent, someone that I have had good success in our last couple of previous meetings," she said.

1 clash   

vi.冲突，不协调，砰地相撞；n.冲突，不协调

参考例句：

• There is a clash between two classes at 2 p.m. on Thursday.星期四下午两点有两堂课是冲突的。
• The pot came down on the stone floor with a clash.锅“当”地一声掉到石地上。

2 dominate   

v.支配，统治，高出，俯视，在...中占首地位

参考例句：

• They had the ambition to dominate this small country.他们有控制这个小国的野心。
• The strong usually dominate over the weak.强者常常支配弱者。

3 convert   

v.（在形式、状态、用途等方面）（使）改变

参考例句：

• I must convert sorrow into strength.我要化悲痛为力量。
• At what rate does the dollar convert into pounds?美元以什么汇率兑换成英镑？

4 converted   

adj.更换信仰的，修改的v.（使）转变( convert的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）转化；皈依；改变（信仰）

参考例句：

• The hotel is going to be converted into a nursing home. 那家旅馆将被改建成私人疗养院。
• He's living in a converted loft in lower Manhattan. 他住在下曼哈顿的一间改建的阁楼里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 consistent   

adj.坚持的，一贯的，一致的，符合的

参考例句：

• He has been a consistent friend to the Chinese people.他是中国人民始终如一的朋友。
• His action is always consistent with his words.他始终言行一致。

6 slams   

v.砰地关上（门或窗）( slam的第三人称单数 )；用力一放；使劲一推；猛劲一摔

参考例句：

• I'm sick of your slams. 对于你的谩骂我真受够了。 来自辞典例句
• Kentucky steal Ball and Ron Mercen slams for two. 肯塔基队争到球，罗恩默塞扣篮得2分。 来自互联网

7 opponent   

n.对手，敌手，反对者；adj.敌对的，反对的

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• After a fierce struggle,he got a beat on his opponent.经过殊死的较量，他占了对手的上风。