Now they'll go head to head.
Both advanced to Friday's semifinals with victories in straight sets, finishing less than 10 minutes apart. Nadal routed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, and shortly thereafter Djokovic eliminated 35-year-old Tommy Haas 6-3, 7-6 (5), 7-5.
So much for the preliminaries to set up a much-anticipated rematch of last year's final, which Nadal won for a record seventh French Open title. He's bidding to become first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event.
The other semifinal matches Spaniard David Ferrer against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who's trying to become the first Frenchman in 30 years to win Roland Garros.