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Rafael Nadal celebrates during his straight-set victory over Fernando Verdasco on Thursday.

Verdasco called it "impossible" to play the aggressive tactics he needs to use "to have chances to beat Rafa."

The outcome basically was settled in the sixth game of the second set, when Nadal broke to lead 4-2 with a delicate-as-can-be drop volley that Verdasco barely reached and couldn't get in play. Nadal jumped and punched the air and had to know there was no longer any chance of the sort of upset Youzhny pulled off four years ago.

Nothing seemed to rattle Youzhny on Thursday. He dealt with a deficit, a problem with his right foot, and the wind that made it tough to control strokes -- Wawrinka made 71 unforced errors, Youzhny 57. That helped Youzhny overcome Wawrinka's advantages in aces (13-2) and winners (48-35). Both men won 154 points.

Youzhny also never was rattled by all the noise going on near the court as Wawrinka was supported exuberantly by his entourage. On pretty much every significant point won by Wawrinka, the black-clad, sunglasses-wearing bunch in his guest box would stand up, applaud, yell and trade fist bumps. The celebrations were led from the front row by Wawrinka's coach, Peter Lundgren -- who used to work with Federer and helped him win his first Wimbledon championship.

Now everyone will be thinking past the semifinals in New York, and looking forward to Sunday's final, and the tantalizing prospect of No. 1 Nadal vs. No. 2 Federer, with another major championship on the line. They have played in seven Grand Slam finals -- three at Wimbledon, three at the French Open and, most recently, at the 2009 Australian Open -- with Nadal holding a 5-2 edge.

Even Verdasco was looking ahead, predicting a Nadal-Federer final -- and picking his fellow Spaniard to lose.

"If I had to bet here, I will be for Roger," Verdasco said. "He won five times here, and he likes these conditions."

First, of course, Federer must beat Djokovic, and Nadal must beat Youzhny.

Asked if he'll try to be a spoiler, Youzhny replied: "Yeah, I'm ready to be bad person. I love to be bad person in this case."

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Djokovic, Federer could meet in French SF again

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