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French Open: Rafael Nadal sweeps Roger Federer, reaches final

By Alex Butler
Rafael Nadal can win his third consecutive title at Roland-Garros if he wins the 2019 French Open men's final Sunday in Paris. Photo by David Silpa/UPI
Rafael Nadal can win his third consecutive title at Roland-Garros if he wins the 2019 French Open men's final Sunday in Paris. Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo

June 7 (UPI) -- Rafael Nadal climbed to yet another French Open final after beating Roger Federer in straight sets in the semifinals Friday at Roland-Garros in Paris.

The Spaniard is looking to win his third straight French Open title and 12th title overall at Roland-Garros. Nadal is now 24-15 in his career against Federer, following the 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory. He is 6-0 against Federer at Roland-Garros, including two straight-sets victories.

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Players were haunted by howling wind gusts reaching 40-plus mph, with clay particles finding their eyes and balls taking unexpected flightpaths. But Nadal looked like himself, the greatest clay-court player of all-time.

He took the first game in eight minutes before bursting out to a 3-0 lead in the first set. Federer fought back to win the next two points of the set. Nadal won the next point, pushing the score to 4-2. Federer held at love in the next set, claiming his third point.

The Spaniard nailed a backhand crosscourt winner to take the first set after Federer got to 40-40.

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Federer rebounded in the second set, going up 2-0 on Nadal. But the Spaniard displayed his clay court dominance once again. Nadal won the next two points to tie it at 2-2. Federer won the next point before Nadal equalized once again. The two stars traded points once again before tying at 4-4. Nadal then won the final two points of the set.

Federer won the first point of the third set, before Nadal held to love, winning his 10th consecutive point on a serve. The Spaniard also won the next point, beating Federer with a well-placed backhand. Federer showed his frustration after losing the point, smacking a tennis ball high into the crowd.

Nadal went up 5-1 before Federer won his next point with a backhand volley. The 11-time French Open champion ended the 2:25 match with a service winner, sending Federer home from the Grand Slam.

Nadal will face No. 1 Novak Djokovic or No. 4 Dominic Thiem in the men's final on Sunday at Roland-Garros. Djokovic is 28-26 against Nadal, but is 1-6 against the Spaniard at Roland-Garros. Nadal is 8-4 against Thiem, including three consecutive straight-sets victories against the Austrian at Roland-Garros.

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Australian Ashleigh Barty battles Czech teen Marketa Vondrousova in the women's final at 9 a.m. Saturday in Paris.

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