Rafael Nadal has booked his place in the final of the French Open after a five-sets victory over Novak Djokovic.
The Spaniard came through 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7 9-7 after four hours and 37 minutes of tennis.
The players could not be separated in the opening exchanges, but Nadal broke in the seventh game after several unforced errors from his opponent. He then served out the set to take it 6-4.
The second set began in the same vein as the first with neither player giving much away on their own serve. Nadal saved two break points in the sixth game, but a powerful forehand from Djokovic secured him the break at the third attempt.
In his next service game Nadal double faulted at deuce, which allowed Djokovic to move 5-3 up before serving out the set.
Nadal dominated the third set, breaking the world number one twice on his way to opening up a 5-0 advantage. Djokovic held in the sixth game to restore some pride, but Nadal claimed the set with his next service game.
Djokovic regained his form in the fourth set, breaking Nadal at 5-6 to take it into a tie-break which he won 7-3 to take the game into a fifth set.
In a dramatic final set which lasted 82 minutes, Djokovic broke in the opening game but Nadal fought back to level the score.
Both players continued to hold serve until the 16th game of the set, when Nadal broke to love to seal his progression into his eighth Roland Garros final, where he will face either David Ferrer or Jo-Wilfred Tsonga.
Steven Toplis
