Rafa Nadal cruised past Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-0, 6-4 in the pair’s first career meeting on Center Court. The quarterfinal match, which finished at 1:12am local time, had been pushed back after rain had delayed the start of day five’s play by over three hours.

Melzer won just nine points in the first set, which Rafa won in 24 minutes, and despite breaking the left-handed Mallorcan once in the second set Rafa proved too much to handle. He dropped nine points on serve and hit 12 winners and committed 18 unforced errors for victory in 63 minutes.

Rafa, who also competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the doubles competition (w/Moya), improved his season record to an ATP-best 68-8. The 22-year-old this year has seven ATP titles, which includes Roland Garros and Wimbledon crowns. He will be attempting to reach his 39th ATP final on Friday. 

He will next meet Servian Novak Djokovic in the last four, who he leads 9-4 in head to head encounters (2-4 on hard courts), but Djokovic won their most recent clash 6-1, 7-5 in the semifinals of ATP Masters Series Cincinnati earlier this month.

From ATPtennis.com

RAFA'S POST MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE

R. NADAL/J. Melzer 6-0, 6-4 

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. 

Q. Talk about your quarterfinal match. RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, I am playing well, no? Very happy for be in the semifinals. Very happy because I played today very well, no? So that's very important victory for me. Continuing being in the semifinals in another tournament is very good news, no? Still playing maybe my best level. 

Q. How surprised are you by Roger's defeat? RAFAEL NADAL: For sure is a surprise, no? No. 1 of the world lost. But the tennis always is very close, no? The level is very close. The match is decide in a few points a lot of times. Well, sometimes happens something like this. Sorry for him. But, you know, that's the tennis. Everybody lose, no? Disappointing for everybody. I am playing my best careera, my best season in my life. I play 15 tournaments, and I lost in eight. So more than 50% of the times I lost in a tournament. So the tennis is like this. 

Q. You've been comfortable on clay and grass over two or three years. Are you now as comfortable on hard courts in terms of your footwork and general comfort? RAFAEL NADAL: I don't know, no? I am happy because I am playing very well. So that's very important for me. But I had very good results in the past on the hard court, too, no? So that's nothing new for me to play good in this surface. But I am playing good. And when I am playing good, I can play good in all surfaces, no? 

Q. In the semifinals you will play Novak Djokovic. What do you expect in that match? RAFAEL NADAL: I expect a very, very tough match, no? I play against the No. 3 player of the world. This year he is the best player on this surface. He had the better results in this surface. So I have to play my best tennis, no? I lost against him one week and a half ago. I know how difficult is play against him. But if I play my best tennis, I beat him sometimes. So I hope play my best tennis and have chances for win. 

Q. Your headband and your wristband. Are you familiar with the Color Orange campaign? It's a protest group. Just wondering, is there any particular choice for that color? RAFAEL NADAL: Is the colors of Spain. That's the reason. I don't know nothing. I respect everybody. I never was involved in politic things. I think the bandana and the wristbands is yellow. But when I am sweat, is turn orange. That's not my intention. Nothing of this.