Djokovic up for Nadal showdown

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will face each other in a record fourth straight grand slam final tomorrow after world number one Djokovic gained revenge for last year’s semi-final defeat by Roger Federer with a 6-4 7-5 6-3 victory at Roland Garros.

More history will be on the line tomorrow, with Nadal, who thrashed David Ferrer 6-2 6-2 6-1, going for a record seventh French Open title while Djokovic is bidding to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four titles at once.

When asked his views on tomorrow’s match, Federer declared Nadal to be “overwhelming favourite”, and Djokovic conceded his rival is indeed in the driving seat. The 25-year-old Serb said: “He’s the favourite, definitely. But it’s a final so I think it’s unpredictable what’s going to happen. I believe in myself. I think I have a chance.”

Yesterday Federer made the first move in the opener, breaking in the fifth game with a thumping forehand winner, but he gave the advantage straight back and then dropped his serve to hand Djokovic the set.

Federer came out firing at the start of the second, breaking Djokovic from 40-0 up in the opening game, including winning a stunning 36-shot rally that had the crowd on their feet.

The third seed looked in total control when he broke again for 3-0 but he promptly gave his serve away and from there things got tight. He had three chances to move 5-2 ahead but he could not take them. The Serb then levelled at 4-4 only for Federer to break for the third time in the set with two superb backhands down the line.

But he had looked shaky on serve all match and it was no real surprise when Djokovic broke again, or that the world number one made it three games in a row to win the set. And there was no way back for Federer from there, with Djokovic breaking in the sixth game of the decider and clinching victory on his second match point.

Meanwhile Maria Sharapova — back at world number one — today will attempt to become the 10th woman to complete a career grand slam.

The Russian burst onto the scene by winning Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004 and had picked up the US Open and Australian Open titles by the time she was 20. Injuries have hampered her since but Sharapova has looked back to her best this year and, if she could have hand-picked an opponent for her first French Open final, then Sara Errani may well have been it. Standing less than 5ft 5in tall, verging on a foot shorter than her opponent, the Italian will be playing in her first grand slam final.

“It will be special, my first Roland Garros final,” said Sharapova.

Sharapova is not about to underestimate her opponent, however: “We have never played against each other, but I certainly know she’s a dangerous player.”