Nadal, Djokovic set up semi showdown

Soon-to-be world number one Rafael Nadal kept his head in the Olympic Games quarters with a comfortable 6-0, 6-4 win over Austria's Jurgen Melzer after a number of seeds were eliminated last night.

Swiss champ Roger Federer and sisters Serena and Venus Williams were dumped from the tournament after torrential rain delayed the start of the evening's schedule.

But Serb Novak Djokovic saw of a tough challenge from young Frenchman Gael Monfils, setting up a semi-final match with Nadal after a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory.

Athens bronze medallist Fernando Gonzalez beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4 to end French involvement. He will face Federer's conqueror James Blake in the semis.

"I'm playing really good and now I'm in the semi-finals, I am a candidate for a medal," said Nadal.

Tags: sport, olympics-summer, tennis, china