PARIS - Friendships will be put on hold when Rafael Nadal meets fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya for a place in the semi-finals of the French Open on Wednesday.

Spain's Rafael Nadal waits for the ball during his match against Australia's Lleyton Hewitt at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris June 4, 2007. [Reuters]

Nadal, chasing a hat-trick of titles, comes from the same island of Mallorca as 1998 champion and boyhood mentor Moya.

The 30-year-old Moya gave Nadal plenty of advice and support when he started his career and the two still spend a lot of time together.

"He's a friend," the 21-year-old Nadal told reporters.

"He is somebody important to me for my career and I need to thank him. He's always been a gentleman. And I had wonderful experiences with him. We won the Davis Cup together (in 2004), and that brought us together, really.

"I don't have any idols, any heroes, nothing, no."

"But sure, having a player like Moya in Mallorca was very, very important for me. And for sure, I have the opportunity for practice with him a lot of times. Having a model close to you is easier."

Nadal said their friendship would definitely survive whatever the outcome.

"I'd rather lose to him than to anybody else in the world," he said.

Moya, however, said he would not let his feelings interfere.

"I will pull out all the stops in order to win," he said.

"He will be an opponent, a rival. On the court, you don't have any friends."