Skip to main content

Nadal to face Djokovic in Madrid final

Rafael Nadal celebrates defeating Roger Federer in their semifinal meeting at the Madrid Masters on Saturday.
Rafael Nadal celebrates defeating Roger Federer in their semifinal meeting at the Madrid Masters on Saturday.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer in three sets to book place in final
  • Djokovic also a winner in three sets over Thomaz Bellucci
  • Women's final will be between Belarusian Victoria Azarenka and Czech Petra Kvitova

(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal will face Novak Djokovic in the final of the Madrid Masters on Sunday after the world's top two players came through their semifinals on Saturday.

Nadal overcame Roger Federer 5-7 6-1 6-3 to extend his winning streak on clay to 37 matches.

Djokovic also needed three sets to defeat Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci 4-6 6-4 6-1, taking his run of unbeaten matches in 2011 to 31.

Prior to the showdown between Nadal and Federer there was a tribute to golfing legend Seve Ballesteros who passed away on Saturday after a three-year battle with cancer.

...it's a terrible day for Spain, and for the world, because we lost a great champion, probably the greatest in the history of Spain
--Rafael Nadal
RELATED TOPICS

Despite making a poor start to the match -- trailing 4-2 at one point -- it was the Swiss champion who took the opening set.

But at the start of the second an overrule in favor of Nadal by umpire Mohamed Lahyani upset Federer's rhythm.

The Spaniard wasted no time in piling home the advantage to win five of the next six games to take the second set with ease and level the match.

With the score at 1-1 in the third set, Federer squandered a chance to break and it was Nadal who drew first blood in the following game to open up a 3-1 lead which paved the way for him to clinch the deciding set.

After the match Nadal Nadal reflected on his victory and the loss of Ballesteros.

"I'm really happy for the victory but it's a terrible day for Spain, and for the world, because we lost a great champion, probably the greatest in the history of Spain," Nadal said.

Golf legend Seve Ballesteros dies

Djokovic endured a battle for two sets of his match against Bellucci who took the first set and was a break up in the second before the Serb recovered and stamped his authority on the match clinching the set 6-4 before going on to close out the third easily as the Brazilian began to tire.

Meanwhile in the women's draw, fourth seed Victoria Azarenka will play Czech 16th seed Petra Kvitova in Sunday's final.

Belarusian Azarenka saw off the challenge from Germany's Julia Goerges in straight sets 6-4 6-2 in the first semi-final.

Kvitova took even less time to defeat China's Li Na as she romped to a 6-3 6-1 victory in just over an hour.