Rafael Nadal will compete for an 11th French Open title after he cruised to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 triumph against Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals at Roland Garros in Paris.
The 10-time champion, who has only been beaten twice at the French major in his entire career, was in full control as Del Potro wilted under the relentless pressure of his whipping trademark forehand.
Del Potro pulled up with a hip complaint as he trailed 2-1 in the first set, but despite clear discomfort he fought on to complete the match in two hours and 14 minutes.
Nadal will face Dominic Thiem in Sunday’s final and the Austrian remains the only man to beat Nadal on clay this year with a quarter-final win at the Madrid ATP Masters event in May.
Seventh seed Thiem, 24, resisted fightbacks from world No.72 Marco Cecchinato in the opening two sets of their semi-final. He saved three set points in the second before winning an epic tiebreak, something which Cecchinato has become famous for this year at Roland Garros.
“The big key was the second set, it was a close tiebreak and if I lost it, I didn’t want that because it would be a tough match,” said Thiem.
“It’s a very nice feeling to come through that and make the final here for the first time.”