Roger Federer is 0-5 against Rafael Nadal all-time at the French Open, and oddsmakers don't see the Swiss picking up his first win in the 2019 semifinals Friday.
Nadal is a -950 favorite (bet $950 to win $100) over Federer at the Caesars sportsbook. They haven't met at Roland Garros since the 2011 final, which Nadal won in four sets.
Federer received a walkover against Nadal in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in March. Before that, he took the last five of their head-to-head meetings. Nadal's last victory was in the 2014 Australian Open semifinal.
Nadal has a 23-15 edge on Federer in their rivalry, though, and his dominance on clay is a big reason for that advantage. The Spaniard is 13-2 against Federer on the surface.
The respective performances of the two stars will have factored into the odds as well.
Federer is coming off a hard-fought four-set victory over Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, which was his first match against a ranked opponent. Nadal dispatched of No. 27 seed David Goffin in four sets in the third round and dismantled seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori in straight sets in the quarters.
Nadal appears to be well on track for his 12th French Open title since 2005.
Federer will turn 38 in August and Nadal celebrated his 33rd birthday Monday. Regardless of the outcome, fans will savor what could be the last battle between the legends in Paris.
