Federer, Nadal in third straight Paris final duel

Jun 6, 2008, 18:46 GMT

Paris - Roger Federer earned a third straight shot at Rafael Nadal in a French Open final on Friday as the Swiss tamed flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 in a three-hour thriller.

The local hero, who had lost to the Swiss three times without winning a set, saved two match points in the tenth game of the fourth set before the world number one seized victory with a backhand volley winner.

Second seed Nadal survived a spirited third-set fightback to subdue Novak Djokovic, booking into fourth consecutive final at Roland Garros 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).

'The match turned out easier than I expected,' said Nadal, watched from the presidential box by Bjorn Borg as he makes a run on Sunday to equal the Swede's four titles on the trot 1978-1981.

'I wasn't expecting to play at this level. I was very dominant, I could put the ball anywhere I wanted.

'I was dominating both on my forehand and backhand, and I didn't think that I could make mistakes. That was key.'

Nadal has gone into the trophy match without dropping a set as his clay form rises to invincible levels.

The 22-year-old Spaniard stands a perfect 27-0 at the tournament.

Federer praised Monfils, whose athleticism and leaping can be best compared to a basketballer. Twice in the fourth set, the French youngster was sent sprawling to the clay as he attempted retrievals as Federer saved break points.

But Federer made his intentions clear as he broke in the opening game in windy conditions under grey skies.

'That was the key to the match,' said the 12-time Grand Slam winner who is missing only the Roland Garros honours at the majors.

'But he really pushed me and it nearly paid off for him. I'm relieved to get through with the win.'

Federer beat Monfils in the 2006 Doha final and said he could tell that the then-teenager had game.

'It was fantastic that he got to show it here in front of his fans,' said the winner.

Monfils saved his first match point in the tenth game of the fourth set as Federer put a forehand wide, with the Frenchman ranked 59th then firing his tenth ace to temporarily get out of danger on the second a point later.

Monfils was only the second unseeded player Federer had faced in 17 Grand Slam semi-finals the other was Jonas Bjorkman at Wimbledon two years ago.

The Swiss top seed converted on seven of 15 break points, with 87 winners and 30 unforced errors in the high-voltage win in front of a Chatrier showcourt crowd which insisted on interrupting the proceedings with a Mexican wave before what was to be the final game as Monfils served to stay in it.

Monfils broke on three of 13 occasions, almost matching the seed on winners (84) but producing 40 unforced errors.

Nadal improved to 8-3 over world number three Djokovic, who had been bidding to back up his Australian Open title from January.

The loser said that his fighting spirit kept him going even well down in the third set.

'In a split second I'm two sets down and double break down, but I was still trying, I didn't want to give up,' said Djokovic

'It's semi-finals of the Grand Slam. Of course, there's a lot at stake on that match and everybody's watching it. I just don't like to give up, so I wasn't trying to give up. I did everything I could.

'I expected a lot from this match. I feel sorry that I lost. I'm not depressed.'

But Nadal said that one the day he was unbeatable.

'The level of the two first sets was very good, almost perfect. It was my best match at Roland Garros so far.'

Nadal stands an overwhelming 8-1 against Federer in clay-court finals, the Swiss lifting his lone trophy in the series at Hamburg, 2007.