JOIN USNadal too good for Gasquet
The Spaniard, who almost pulled out of the tournament with a virus, looked back to his best, launching a blistering attack on the Gasquet serve to break at 5-5 before wrapping up the first set.
Nadal consolidated by breaking Gasquet's opening service game of the second set and two further breaks finished off the tired Frenchman.
Nadal next meets the winner of the second semifinal between Briton Andy Murray and world number two Djokovic, who continued his unbeaten run this year at the Madrid Open last week by defeating the Mallorcan for the first time on clay. On Friday, second seed Djokovic stretched his unbeaten run for the year to 35 matches after dispatching fifth-seed Soderling 6-3, 6-0.
After losing his opening service game against Soderling, Djokovic stormed back, making the decisive break in the eighth game with a screaming crosscourt backhand to take the set. The second set was an ordeal for the big Swede as Djokovic moved him around the court with a combination of dainty dropshots and flashing strokes to win the set to love.
Stosur in final
Australian Samantha Stosur overpowered China's Li Na 7-6, 6-0 to reach her first final of the year at the Italian Open in Rome on Saturday
In a fluctuating first set, last year's French Open runner-up broke at the first attempt and opened up a 5-3 lead as her high kicking serve proved too much for Li to handle.
The Chinese player fought back, saving a set-point before breaking back and then missing a set-point of her own in the tie-break before Stosur took it with her latest huge big serve.
Stosur then cruised through the second set as Li, a losing finalist at the Australian Open in January, capitulated against her opponent's powerful ground strokes. In Sunday's final Stosur will play the winner of the second semifinal between Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova.
On Friday, Home favourite Francesca Schiavone lost in the quarterfinals as Stosur gained revenge for defeat in last year's Roland Garros final.
Second seed Schiavone had no answer to the Australian's powerful game as she lost 6-2, 6-4 to the disappointment of the fans inside the Foro Italico.