MADRID, May 7: Rafa Nadal cleared the latest hurdle on his quest for a third claycourt title in under a month when he overpowered Frenchman Michael Llodra 6-2, 6-2 on Friday to set up a Madrid Open semi-final against Roger Federer.

The heavyweight pair were joined in the last four by unseeded Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who  knocked out Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6, 6-3.

Bellucci will play in-form Novak Djokovic for a place in Sunday’s final.

The Serbian second seed silenced the home fans when he ended the hopes of David Ferrer 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Former No 1 Federer went through to the last four when he saw off fifth seed Robin Soderling 7-6, 6-4.

Meanwhile, Julia Goerges continued her impressive run on clay by brushing aside Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-2 on Friday to set up a women’s semi-final against fourth seed Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka dropped her first set of the week against unseeded Czech Lucie Safarova before going through 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Goerges and Azarenka were joined in the last four by Li Na who beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Czech Petra Kvitova completed the semi-final lineup when she came from a set down to beat Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Results (prefix number denotes seeding): Men’s singles: Quarter-finals: 2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) bt 6-David Ferrer (Spain) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; 3-Roger Federer (Switzerland) bt 5-Robin Soederling (Sweden) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; 1-Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Michael Llodra (France) 6-2, 6-2; Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) bt 7-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

Women’s singles: Quarter-finals: 16-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) bt Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; 6-Li Na (China) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; 4-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) bt Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; Julia Goerges (Germany) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) 6-4, 6-2.—Reuters