38-1.

That’s the record Federer had at the beginning of today against all potential opponents left in the French Open men’s draw. It included Juan Martin del Potro, Tommy Robredo, Robin Soderling, Fernando Gonzalez, and today’s opponent, Gael Monfils.

His lone loss comes against Fernando Gonzalez, and that’s compared to 12 wins against him.

If anyone looks like they might have given Roger trouble, it might have been the talented Frenchman, Gael Monfils, who had met him only 4 times, the last time, a year ago in the French Open semifinals.

Federer’s journey to his first French title hasn’t been easy. He’s been fortunate his two biggest rivals on clay lost early on. Philipp Kohlschreiber took out Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling upended Rafael Nadal. Even so, he lost a set (and nearly two) to Jose Acasuso, one set to Paul-Henri Mathieu, and he was two sets to love down, break point down, to Tommy Haas.

Usually when Roger struggles, he plays at least one or two good matches. Roger tends to be a finisher, playing better as the tournament goes along. Nowhere was that more evident than when he beat Novak Djokovic, then Andy Murray in the semifinals and finals of the US Open, saving his best tennis for the latest rounds.

Gael Monfils made short work of Andy Roddick, a guy who should have given Monfils some trouble. This easy defeat lead some to believe that Monfils would give Federer trouble.

And for a set, he did. Monfils and Federer played a tight first set, which was tight even in the tiebreak, until Federer took it 8-6.

In the second set, Federer got a break, then a second, and cruised to a 6-2 second set. Usually, when Federer is up 2 sets, he gets very calm and confident. However, Monfils again played Roger tight to 4-all. At that point, Monfils gets to deuce, then it goes ad Federer, then he double faults back to deuce. Bad timing. Federer takes the next point to his ad, and then breaks Monfils.

Four quick points later, and Roger makes the semifinals of a Grand Slam event.

Again.

For the 20th consecutive time.

To put that in perspective. Nadal had his meter reset to 0, and has to start again. Djokovic had it reset three times. Once at Wimbledon, once at the Australian Open, and once again at the French. This is the one record of Roger’s that’s least likely to be broken.

It speaks to Roger’s amazing consistency and health. Even in an off-year, like 2008, Federer wins in the big ones. He’s a bit like Sampras in that respect (except Sampras could never play well on clay). Roger had mono, but made the 2008 Australian Open semis. Made the finals of the French, of Wimbledon, and won the US Open.

2009 actually looks worse. Roger didn’t win his first tournament until May when he won Madrid. But he made the semifinals of Australia. And now again in Paris.

In the semifinal, he will meet new rival, Juan Martin del Potro. Federer demolished him at the Australian Open in the most lopsided match del Potro has probably had since entering the top 10. He has never lost to del Potro. He recently beat him in Madrid.

Even so, del Potro is a dangerous player. He easily handled Tommy Robredo who, surprisingly, was the last Spaniard in the field. Score: 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

In the other semis, the surprising Robin Soderling plays the powerful Fernando Gonzalez. Although Gonzalez leads their head-to-head 4-3, Gonzalez has won their last four encounters. This will be a hard hitting semifinal.

And so, 3 unexpected semfinalists.

And Roger Federer.

Always Roger Federer.