Paris, France (Sports Network) - Six-time champion Rafael Nadal was an easy quarterfinal winner Wednesday at the French Open.

The second-seeded former world No. 1 star handled 12th-seeded fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-3 amid some drizzle at times on Court Chatrier.

Nadal will meet the Andy Murray-David Ferrer winner in Friday's men's semifinals.

The 26-year-old Nadal moved on in 2 hours, 46 minutes Wednesday with the help of 10 aces and 45 unforced errors by the overmatched Almagro. Nadal also broke Almagro three times, while Almagro failed to break his mighty counterpart on Day 11.

Nadal, now 50-1 lifetime at Roland Garros, has yet to lose a set at this 2012 French fortnight, while Almagro hadn't lost a set until Wednesday.

The 10-time Grand Slam champ Nadal is the reigning two-time titlist in Paris, having beaten Roger Federer in last year's finale at the world's lone clay-court major.

Nadal is now a seven-time French Open semifinalist (6-0) and trying to become the first man in the Open Era to capture seven French Open titles.

Friday's other semi will pit top-seeded Novak Djokovic against the third- seeded former No. 1 great Federer. The five-time major champion Djokovic will compete in his fourth French semi, seeking a first-ever trip into the final in Paris, while Federer will play in French semi number seven (5-1).

The 25-year-old Djokovic and 30-year-old Federer will meet for a 26th time, with the Swiss leading their all-time series, 14-11. The Serb beat Federer in a semifinal in Rome last month, but the Swiss legend topped Djokovic in four sets in the French semis a year ago, which prevented the Serb from reaching his first-ever final at Roland Garros and stopped a 45-match overall winning streak by Djokovic.

Djokovic is trying to become the first man in 43 years to hold all four Grand Slam titles. Aussie legend Rod Laver was the last man to turn the trick when he captured all four majors in one year back in 1969.

The reigning Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion Djokovic is riding a torrid 26-match Grand Slam winning streak.

Federer will appear in his 29th semifinal in his last 32 Grand Slam events. The 16-time major champ captured his lone French Open title in 2009 to complete a career Grand Slam and has been a four-time Roland Garros runner-up to Nadal.

Federer hasn't captured a major title since the 2010 Aussie Open.

The 2012 French Open champ will collect $1.5 million.

The Sports Network