NADAL BEATS DJOKOVIC IN EPIC TO REACH FRENCH OPEN FINAL

PARIS, June 07, 2013 (AFP) – Defending champion Rafael Nadal moved closer to an historic eighth French Open title Friday when he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 67 (3/7), 9-7 in a titanic semi-final.

Nadal, the third seed, took his Paris record to a staggering 58 wins from 59 matches after recovering from 4-2 down in the deciding set to clinch victory after 4 hours and 37 minutes.

The 27-year-old Spaniard, bidding to become the first man to win the same major eight times, moved into his 17th Grand Slam final where he'll face either home hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Spanish compatriot David Ferrer.

Friday's win was Nadal's 20th in 35 career clashes -- and 13th from 16 on clay -- against Djokovic.

In a dramatic and controversial final set, Djokovic broke for 1-0 before Nadal levelled in the eighth game after the Serb had been handed a time violation and then lost a point when he collided with

The 27-year-old Spaniard, bidding to become the first man to win the same major eight times, moved into his 17th Grand Slam final where he'll face either home hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Spanish compatriot David Ferrer

the net as he put away a smash.

Djokovic even summoned the tournament supervisor onto the court to rage over the court conditions as he prepared to serve at 7-8.

Nadal pounced, moving to three match points and clinched victory when Djokovic, who ended with an ugly 75 unforced errors, hit wild and long.

“It's a very special win for me and congratulations to Novak -he's a great champion and he is going to win here at Garros one day,” said Nadal, who had lost the pair's only other five-setter, the record-setting 2012 Australian Open final.

Rafael Nadal