In the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open, Andy Roddick quickly dealt with Nicolas Almagro 6-3,6-3 to secure his semifinal spot.  Later that evening, Rafael Nadal put Jo-Wilfried Tsonga out of commission 6-3,6-2  to write his name in the semifinal slot opposite Roddick.

With a lighting service game, Roddick started out the match.  Then, the American quickly broke and consolidated for a 3-0 lead.  After holding service, Almagro took the first two point off Roddick’s serve.  That was for not though. Roddick got his serve on track and stretched his advantage to 4-1.  Giving Almagro no further opportunities on his serve, the one break was the only difference Roddick required to jump ahead one set to none.

The second set, his first time serving, Roddick obliterated two break points to guard serve. Then at 2 all, Roddick captured the break and consolidated for 4-2. Later, at 3-5 as Almagro served to keep the match alive, Roddick arrived at his third set point with a forehand winner.  Roddick bagged the match when Almagro’s backhand traveled long.

That night, subsequent to Tsonga maintaining serve, Nadal double faulted and misfired with the forehand giving the Frenchman break point.  Nadal effaced that by sticking a crosscourt forehand pass.  That same game, Nadal rubbed out two more advantage points by Tsonga to balance the set at 1 all.  The set’s turning point came at 3 all when Tsonga committed an error to eye 15-40.  When Tsonga dumped a backhand volley into the net, Nadal went in front 4-3.  Immediately though, Tsonga pressed Nadal with a myriad of deuces and two break points.  However, the Spaniard did not relent.  Nadal increased his edge to 5-3. Shortly, Nadal broke Tsonga at love to bank the first set.

Tsonga got off on the wrong footing in the second.  With a cluster of forehand errors, the Frenchman gave Nadal a break and 3-0 lead.  As Nadal served at 3-1, Tsonga had two chances to break.  However, incapable of controlling the forehand, Tsonga was denied his 8th opportunity to break of the match.  With Nadal unwilling to let him through the front or back door, Tsonga seemed resigned.  After Nadal guarded serve at love for 5-2, he tracked a Tsonga overhead and connected on a forehand winner to set up double match point.  Next, with another forehand winner, Nadal sealed his victory.

In doubles, the second seeds Mike and Bob Bryan were comprehensively defeated by 8th seed Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-2,6-2 in the quarterfinals.