Indian Wells (California), March 19 (DPA) Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic set up a third meeting in as many months this season as both ploughed into the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Masters with runaway wins.
Second-seed Federer, the 2004-06 champion, won his eighth match out of nine against Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-3, 6-4, taking just over an hour against his Indian Wells doubles partner with whom he later made the final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over doubles holders Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopz.
Djokovic is on a career-best 18-match win streak after his 6-2, 6- 3 victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Djokovic, while standing 8-13 in the series with Federer, has won both 2011 meetings - at the Australian Open semi-final and the title match three weeks ago in Dubai.
Federer's win over number 13 Wawrinka was his sixth in a row in that series since losing to his friend in 2009 at Monte Carlo.
'I'm very happy to get to the semis,' Federer said. 'I know that if my game is going well and I'm playing the right way against Stan, I can sneak in maybe a win like this. A couple of breaks, one in each set, it should be possible.
'But I was down break points first game, and you don't know how it goes from there if he breaks. I know the danger. There is no secrets out there with Stan. It makes it really difficult playing a good friend like him.'
The Saturday men's semi-finals will be of Grand Slam stature, as Nadal faces Juan Del Potro in the top half of the draw. The quartet have between them won the last 24 majors dating to Marat Safin's 2005 Australian Open title.
'Sometimes against top players you can't win them all,' said Federer of his recent Djokovic losses. 'It's important to have the mindset and right game plan, and that's what I will be thinking about.'
Del Potro, ranked 90th after missing most of 2010 with wrist surgery, is gradually working his way back to the top-five position he held after beating Federer for the 2009 US Open trophy.
Djokovic has not lost an official match since November 27, when Federer beat him in a semi-final at the year-end championships in London.
'I'm having the best period of my career over this last three- month (period),' said Djokovic.
In women's play, Marion Bartoli became the first French woman to reach an Indian Wells singles final as she overwhelmed Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1, 6-3. She faces the winner from top seed Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova, the champion five years ago.
Bartoli was coming off an illness this week, which limited her practice time and energy.
'My level dropped after the first set, because I was still not able to normally eat before the match,' said the 2007 Wimbledon finalist.
'I didn't have much fuel in my body to hang on. But I stayed mentally very focused and positive towards the end. I knew if I was not playing not 100 per cent, but at a good level, I would still be able to come out on top.'
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