By Chris Oddo                                 Photo Credit: Mike Hewitt/ Getty

(June 6, 2012)—Nicolas Almagro gave six-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal his biggest challenge of the tournament on Wednesday afternoon, but for the third consecutive time he failed to take a set against the imperious Spaniard at the French Open.

It wasn’t for lack of trying.

Nadal’s 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-3 victory is his fiftieth career win at Roland Garros, and it moves him past Bjorn Borg in the all-time win category at the French Open. Bjorg, the only other six-time champion in the history of the event, ended his career at 49-2.

Almagro, who like Nadal had not lost a set in his four previous matches at Roland Garros, stayed with Nadal for all but the last moments of the 62-minute first set. But in the end, it was Nadal’s ability to seize the moment better than his compatriot that allowed him to take a 1-0 lead.

Almagro brushed aside the only break point he faced against Nadal in the first set (at 5-5) with a smash, but when play moved to a tiebreaker, the world No. 12 quickly found himself trailing 4-0. He did mount a surge to get to 4-5, brandishing a beautiful old-school backhand and an impressive willingness to step up and battle with Nadal, but his failure to come all the way back would be the first of many reminders for Almagro that when it comes to playing Rafa at the French, there are no comebacks.

In the second set, with Nadal up a break and serving at 4-2, the Spaniard faced his first break point of the day. A few smashes later the threat had ended quietly, and Nadal broke for good measure in the next game to lead two sets to love.

A brief rain delay at the onset of the third set would allow Almagro some more time to contemplate the impossible. Unfortunately, all he could manage was the predictable.

Almagro had looks at three break points to take what would have been an improbable lead in the third set, but each time he failed to convert, the feeling of inevitability grew. There are only so many chances on offer when one plays against Nadal on clay. Once they are gone, they are gone forever.

After Nadal had weathered them all, he took the initiative to break in the eighth game, then served out the two-hour, forty-six-minute affair to make a date with another Spaniard, David Ferrer, in the semifinals on Friday.

Ferrer Knocks Murray Out, Reaches First French Open Semifinal

The look on David Ferrer's face was priceless at the conclusion of his 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Andy Murray this afternoon. Long considered one of the best clay-courters on tour, it took Ferrer ten trips to the City of Lights to finally reach the final four at the French Open. Not one for showboating or celebrating outwardly, the smile on one of the tour's most indefatigable players was a rare display of true joy from this most serious of men.

Bigger challenges await Ferrer, but for the moment, the fact that he was willing to take a moment to let it all soak in shows how much a victory like today's means to Ferrer.

It was far from easy.

Ferrer and Murray locked into a topsy-turvy battle from the get-go today, with the pair trading breaks and trading sets in the first two sets, each of which lasted over an hour.

With Murray seemingly in hold of the momentum after snatching the second set tiebreaker, the rains came early in the third set. When play continued, it was Ferrer who took charge.

Ferrer reeled off three consecutive games after the delay to lead 3-1, then had chances to earn the double-break lead when Murray finally realised that they had pulled the tarps off Court Suzanne Lenglen. Murray saved himself from what would have been an insurmountable lead, then broke to level at 3-3.

But Ferrer, sweating and stammering, bouncing and bobbing, would not relent. He broke back (one of four times on the day that he would answer a Murray break with one of his own) and when Murray missed a forehand a mile long two games later, the feisty Spaniard had a two sets to one lead.

In the fourth set, there were once again signs of life for Murray, but for Ferrer, signs of life in his opponent typically are his cue to play even harder. He did just that, breaking Murray after Murray had broken him to open the set, then reeling off another three games to lead 4-1.

Murray would manage another break to keep things close, but his inability to keep the ball in play would lead him to his eventual undoing.

After saving one match point while serving at 2-5, Murray's 59th unforced error, a crosscourt forehand that sailed wide, would send Ferrer through and put that umistakeble smile on his face.

For those who prefer their Ferrer with an angst-ridden frown, don't worry, he'll have his game face on come Friday, when he meets with Rafael Nadal for a spot in the French Open final.