7 Jun 2014

Nadal to face Djokovic in Paris final

11:33 am on 7 June 2014

The world's top two tennis players, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, will contest Monday morning's French Open final, following the Spaniard's straight sets 6-3 6-2 6-1 demolition of Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray.

Earlier Djokovic had won through his semi-final with a less convincing 6-3 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over Latvian Ernests Gulbis.

The top seed and eight-time winner Nadal now stands just one win away from becoming the first man to take the French Open title five times in a row, surpassing Bjorn Borg.

He also is on the cusp of a 14th Grand Slam title, which would put him level at second best on the all-time list with Pete Sampras, and three behind Roger Federer.

Murray failed in his bid to become the first British player to contest the French Open final since Bunny Austin 77 years ago and will now turn his attention to defending his Wimbledon crown.

It was his worst loss to Nadal in nine Grand Slam match-ups between the two, surpassing the nine games he managed in the 2008 Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Djokovic is into his 13th Grand Slam final and second at the French Open after ending the colourful Paris campaign of giant-killer Gulbis.

Victory in the final would make Djokovic only the eighth man in history to complete the career Grand Slam.