In 2015, Novak Djokovic has looked invincible, like he has been taking the magic potion of Getafix before every match. For ten years at the French Open, Rafael Nadal has been like Obelix, near-unbreakable, almost as if he falls into the Getafix-created magic potion every time the second Grand Slam of the year comes along, and drinks so much that he becomes unstoppable.
Something had to give on Wednesday in the French Open 2015 quarterfinals, and it was the seemingly indestructible Djokovic whose magic potion proved to be more potent, more assured, more strong and just plain better.
Robin Soderling will no longer be the trivia answer to the question of "Who is the only player Nadal has lost to at the French Open?," after Djokovic showed just why he is far-and-away the best player in the world by blowing away the best clay-courter of all-time on the court he has owned for nine out of ten years.
Djokovic was relentless and irresistible in his chopping down of the French Open legend Nadal, picking up the first set 7-5, before running away with the next two to take the match 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.
The tone was set right from the off by the Serbian, looking for his first Roland Garros win over Nadal in seven attempts, with the world number one jumping to a 4-0 lead in the first set. However, Nadal showed his trademark fighting spirit by roaring back to tie the set at 4-4, before the cat and mouse match took its shape.
Djokovic, who had lost to Nadal in the 2012 final, 2013 semifinal and the 2014 final, was always just that bit stronger, posing the more difficult questions and pouncing on virtually every single second serve. Nadal was also not his usual best, with that forehand of his not finding its usual ridiculous top-spin or range, and against a near-unstoppable Djokovic that was always going to be punished.
It took the Serbian a while to win the first set, though, all of six set points, but once he picked up that first set, it was all over, as Nadal's game broke into pieces and Djokovic's wove an impregnable spider's web.
Djokovic played the big points better in the second set, breaking Nadal at 5-3 to take it 6-3, and after Djokovic broke the nine-time champion, down by two sets to love for the first time ever at the French Open, in the first game of the third set, it was game, set and match for the best player in the world, who finished off the quarterfinal with ridiculous ease – Nadal's day typified by the fact that he gifted his opponent the win via a double fault on match point.
It is going to be easy as one, two and three if Djokovic keeps up this form in the semifinal, because even Andy Murray, who was too good for David Ferrer in the other quarterfinal on Wednesday, will not be able to come close if the Serbian plays like he did against Nadal.
