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 World No. 1 Roger Federer (pictured) came through a thrilling and fast paced semifinal encounter with Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 on Friday to set up a third successive Roland Garros final against Rafael Nadal.
The 26-year-old Federer now becomes the 10th man to reach 15 Grand Slam finals, joining Ivan Lendl (19), Pete Sampras (18), Rod Laver (17), Bjorn Borg (16) and Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall and Bill Tilden, who all reached 15.
Having won five Wimbledon titles, four US Opens and three Australian Opens, the Swiss is bidding to become just the sixth man in history to complete a career Grand Slam as he looks to win his first Roland Garros title. The past two years he has reached the final, but fallen short to Nadal. Andre Agassi was the last man to win all four Grand Slams when he won at Roland Garros in 1999.
Friday: Rafa Races into Fourth Roland Garros Final
Roger & Rafa Rivalry: Every Match Ever Played
Federer was made to work hard for a place in his third successive final at Roland Garros. After a nervous opening set, which he lost 6-2, home favorite Gael Monfils found his rhythm and good form in the second set and, supported boisterously by the majority of Philippe Chatrier Court, presented a real challenge to Federer.
Federer broke early to lead 2-0 in the second set, capitalizing on the errors flowing from Monfils’ racquet, but immediately surrendered the break as he played a loose game and Monfils was able to level. The 21-year-old Monfils chased down every ball and his great athleticism caused no end of problems for Federer as he struggled to find a way past the French rising star. Serving at 5-6, Federer was forced to save one set point, but, when Monfils earned a second as Federer netted a volley, the World No. 1 was frustrated by Monfils’ inspired defensive abilities and miscued a forehand to surrender the set.
The Estoril champion recovered quickly from the dropped set and broke through to lead 2-1 in the second set as Monfils placed a forehand wide. Federer broke once more to lead 4-1 and, despite Monfils engineering one of the breaks back, was able to close out the set 6-3.
Both men had chances to seize the initiative in the fourth set, Federer saving six break points and Monfils saving two before the score line arrived at 5-4 in Federer’s favor. With the Frenchman serving, Federer played three marvelous points, including an ingenious drop shot out of nowhere, to earn two match points. However, Monfils stepped up to the challenge and, after a forehand wide from Federer cost him the first, a Monfils ace denied him the second.
Roland Garros Photo Gallery After a comfortable Federer service hold, Monfils stepped up to serve at 5-6, and once more found himself match point down as some delightful net play from Federer saw a volley go past Monfils. At the third time of asking Federer took his chance, a backhand volley winner securing him the match and a place in the final after 3hr., 5min.
 Federer will now have the chance to move to within one Grand Slam of Pete Sampras’ record 14 titles when he takes on Nadal in a 17th career meeting on Sunday. Nadal has won both their meetings so far in 2008, in the final of ATP Masters Series events in Monte Carlo and Hamburg, both on clay. Federer has won just one of their nine clay court matches, in the final of ATP Masters Series Hamburg last year, a victory that snapped Nadal’s 81-match clay court winning streak.
World No. 59 Monfils (pictured, above right) was contesting his first Grand Slam semifinal, his best previous result being a fourth round appearance at Roland Garros in 2006. He was the first Frenchman to be contesting a Roland Garros semifinal since Sebastien Grosjean in 2001.
After struggling with toe, foot, ankle, wrist and knee injuries since reaching a career high ranking of No. 23 in June 2006, Monfils is now projected to return to the Top 35 of the South African Airways ATP Rankings. In the quarterfinals Monfils battled past World No. 5 David Ferrer.
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Wednesday: Monfils Fires into First Grand Slam Semifinal
Wednesday: Roger's Record Run Hits 16
Tuesday: Nadal Celebrates 22nd Birthday in Style
Tuesday: Djokovic Sets Up Nadal Semifinal Showdown
Monday: Monfils Reaches First Slam Quarterfinal
Monday: Federer to Meet Gonzalez in Quarterfinal
Sunday: Nadal to Meet Almagro in All-Spanish Quarterfinal
Sunday: Djokovic Rolls On; Gulbis Reaches First Grand Slam QF
Saturday: Federer Advances to 4th Rd.; Ljubicic Stuns Davydenko
Saturday: Ferrer Out Lasts Hewitt; Gonzalez Rallies Past Wawrinka
Friday: Relief for Djokovic; Mathieu Test Next
Friday: Confident Nadal Beats Third Lefty for Last 16 Berth
Thursday: Federer Fights into Third Round for Ancic Test
Thursday: Damp Conditions Don't Hinder Nadal
Thursday: Nalbandian, Blake Fall in Second Round
Wednesday: Djokovic, Murray into Third Round; Berdych Falls
Wednesday: Three-time Champion Nadal Begins Title Defense
Wednesday: Ferrer, Youzhny, Hewitt & Stepanek All Advance
Tuesday: Davydenko, Robredo Through on Rain-Hit Day
Monday: Federer, Berdych Advance; Verdasco Survives Five Sets
Monday: Robredo, Gonzalez Advance; Baghdatis Falls
Sunday: Kuerten Bids Emotional Farewell
Sunday: Djokovic Survives First Round Scare
Sunday: Nalbandian, Blake Make Confident Starts
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