Roger Federer will play for his third Madrid Open title after cruising past Janko Tipsarevic 6-2 6-3 on Saturday in the semi-finals.
The Swiss star advanced to meet Tomas Berdych, who edged Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6) in the other semi.
While Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic vowed to never again play on Madrid’s new blue claycourt after early exits, Federer’s more technical style has not been overly hampered by the surface many players have criticised as slippery.
Federer won Madrid in 2006 and 2009.
He shook off the late afternoon gusting winds to hit 25 winners and eight aces en route to the easy victory.
While dominating his service games, Federer moved Tipsarevic around the court with an expert mix of shots until he achieved a break to go ahead 3-1 when his low slice forced his opponent into netting.
Federer broke again to claim the first set by drawing an error from Tipsarevic with a forehand that clipped the sideline.
Tipsarevic, who had upset Djokovic on Friday, fell behind for good at 3-1 in the second set when he could barely graze Federer’s crosscourt return.
Sunday will be the 30-year-old Federer’s 104th final, where he will seek his 74th career title.
Berdych also mastered the slick blue clay to topple del Potro and the sixth-seeded Czech will bid for his eighth career title – and second at the Masters 1000 level – on Sunday when he plays third-seeded Federer.
Berdych fired down 15 aces in a contest lasting just over two and a quarter hours at the Caja Magica.
The Czech won only his second match out of five against del Potro, who captured the Estoril title last weekend, as he began his campaign for the French Open later than most of his rivals after resting at home.
Coming to the court, Berdych had won 26 service games this week and pocketed one more before finally being broken in the third game of the opening set.
But he took it back in the 10th game for 5-5 as del Potro was broken while serving for the set.
The distraught Argentine rallied from 1-5 down in the tiebreaker but still lost the set after 68 minutes.
Berdych began the second with a break, was broken back for 3-3, but again showed his nerve with a winning tiebreak effort to advance into the title match on a second match point after del Potro saved the first with an ace.
Del Potro dropped to 10-1 on clay this season and 22-2 on sets after defeating Berdych in their past three meetings without losing a set.
Berdych will be playing in his 14th ATP World Tour final and third Masters final, having won in Paris seven years ago before losing in Miami in 2010.
Saturday’s win was his 26th of the season and ninth on clay.
In the women’s, Serena Williams will meet top-ranked Victoria Azarenka in the final after both players dispensed with their rivals in straight sets on Saturday.
Williams beat Lucie Hradecka 7-6 (7-5) 6-0 and Azarenka ousted fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-4.
