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PARIS - Rafael Nadal moved closer to a rare French Open hat-trick by overpowering Serbia's Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-4 6-2 on Saturday (NZ time) to set up a much-anticipated final against arch-rival Roger Federer.
World number two Nadal, trying to become the first man with three successive Roland Garros titles since Bjorn Borg in 1980, wore down sixth seed Djokovic with relentless groundstrokes to extend his 100 per cent record on the Paris clay.
"My home is in Mallorca but the Centre Court here is a place that means a lot to me," Nadal said. "Being in a third final is amazing and makes me proud and happy."
The 20-year-old Djokovic tried his best but was not tough enough and failed to emulate compatriot Ana Ivanovic, who will face Justine Henin in the women's final here on Saturday.
In Sunday's men's title match, the 21-year-old Spaniard with the bulging biceps will take on world number one Federer, who lost to Nadal in last year's final and reached this year's with a tight 7-5 7-6 7-6 win over Russia's Nikolay Davydenko.
Djokovic, who trailed Nadal 6-4 6-4 when he retired with a back injury in the quarter-finals here last year, resisted for a set and then gradually ran out of steam.
After a tight first few games in which Djokovic had briefly suggested he might challenge the ultimate weapon on clay, Nadal moved on top, winning four games in a row.
Serving for the match, leading 5-2, the Spaniard dropped serve with a double fault but he was still a break up.
Djokovic saved two set points in the next game and then broke his opponent to level the set at 5-5.
Nadal broke back immediately with a superb forehand winner, definitely worth the fist-pumping gesture that followed.
He then served for the set again, this time wrapping it up with another forehand winner.
A sharp forehand along the line gave Nadal a break in the seventh game of the second set. He later served for the set and saw Djokovic survive three set points before losing the set with an unforced error.
The third set was merely a formality for Nadal, who opened up a 4-0 lead and then cruised until converting his first match point with a merciless forehand to seal victory after two hours and 28 minutes.
Nadal, who becomes the first man since Jim Courier in 1993 to reach three successive Roland Garros finals, had won 81 consecutive matches on clay when Federer beat him in the Hamburg final last month.
"A match between the world number one and the world number two is always a special occasion," Nadal said, looking forward to Sunday's final.
"He's the best player in the history of the game. I will have to be at my very best. That's the only way you can beat Roger."
- REUTERS
