Rafael Nadal eased to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Roger Federer in the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
The fifth seed recently returned from seven months out with knee problems but showed no signs of discomfort as he dismantled his old rival in their first meeting since the semi-finals of this tournament last year, booking a last-four clash with Tomas Berdych.
Indeed, if there were any injury questions they were aimed at Federer, who suffered a back twinge earlier in the tournament and did not appear to be moving entirely freely.
The world No2 saved a break point in the fifth game with an ace, but could not repeat the feat two games later when Nadal came from 40-15 down and sealed the break when he easily passed the advancing Swiss.
Federer forced Nadal to serve the set out at 5-4 after holding on when he was in trouble for the third service game in a row, but there was little he could do to hurt the serve of the Spaniard.
There was more of the same as Nadal broke to love at the start of the second set and with Federer not looking comfortable and seemingly losing interest the Spaniard increased his advantage to 3-0. The Swiss finally broke the Nadal serve to make it 3-1, then made it two games in a row before a big inside-out forehand gave him a sniff of a chance at 15-30 in the next. But he twice found the net and the world No5 held his serve.
Federer saved two break points in his next service game but succumbed the third time when he could not deal with Nadal's deep return, and the Spaniard served out the match to complete a comprehensive victory, improving his record against his rival to 19-10.
Berdych, the sixth seed, beat the South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 and is still to drop a set in Indian Wells.
The women's top seed, Victoria Azarenka, was forced to withdraw, sending Caroline Wozniacki into the semi-finals as neither scheduled women's singles match made it on court. Azarenka suffered an ankle injury allowing Wozniacki a free passage, while Angelique Kerber advanced thanks to a calf problem suffered by Samantha Stosur in the previous round.
Azarenka said: "I'm extremely disappointed because I feel I'm playing really well right now."