June 10, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1427

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PARIS, June 9: World number one Roger Federer and number two Rafael Nadal set up a dream finish to the French Open on Friday by advancing to the final.

Federer, 24, made his first Roland Garros title match as Argentina's David Nalbandian retired injured while the Swiss player was leading 3-6, 6-4, 5-2 in their semi-final tie.

Reigning champion Nadal was his usual unstoppable self in storming past world number four Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) to reach Sunday's final.

He never gave the Croatian a chance, breaking once in the first and twice in the second before securing victory on his second match point in the third.

Ljubicic had said before the match that Nadal's record winning streak on clay – now standing at 59 matches – had to come to an end at some point but he was not the man to do it and never really looked like he believed in his chances.

Federer now sits on the brink of history as he became only the third man to reach four successive Grand Slam finals.

If he wins, he will match Rod Laver's 1969 record of holding all four titles at the same time.

“I was hoping to get the opportunity to win my first French Open, and you only get that opportunity once you reach the final,” said Federer who had only once before made it to the last four.

“The quarter-final and semi-final is nice but you want to go out there on Sunday.”

Third seed Nalbandian suffered an abdominal strain in the second set and although he tried to continue he eventually called it quits as Federer threatened to canter off into the distance.

It was a recurrence of an injury Nalbandian felt in the previous round against Russian Nikolay Davydenko, only worse.

“It's never easy when you lose and when you get injured it's worse. I felt I was playing well tactically, the match was going perfectly but with these things you never know and that's the way it is.”

Nalbandian had started so well, breaking three of Federer's opening six service games, but from 6-3, 3-0 he won only three of the next 11 games.

Federer was unusually slow out of the blocks and made a host of errors but he looked unruffled as Nalbandian produced his best tennis to open up a commanding lead.

But if anyone thought Federer would lie down, they were quickly proved wrong. In the fourth game of the second set, the world's best player started clicking into gear and produced an array of stunning shots.

Nalbandian was not playing badly but no-one in the world can live with Federer when he hits that form.

In one rally he looked dead and buried as a Nalbandian lob dipped into the far corner, only for a backtracking Federer to reach it and with his back to the court hit a sensational flicked passing shot down the line.

Federer reeled off five games in a row and eight from nine to move a break ahead in the third. Nalbandian called the trainer at 1-2 and when he was broken a second time for 2-5, he decided he could go on no more.

Results:

Men’s singles:

Semifinals: Roger Federer (SUI x1) bt David Nalbandian (ARG x3) 3-6, 6-4, 5-2 – Nalbandian retired; Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x4) 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).—AFP