<p>Ten-time champion Rafael Nadal reached his 11th French Open final on Friday when he demolished Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets, setting up a title showdown with Dominic Thiem, the only man to defeat him on clay in the last two years.</p>.<p>Nadal, a 16-time Grand Slam champion, claimed his 85th win in Paris against just two losses after weathering a big-hitting opening from 2009 US Open winner Del Potro to win 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.</p>.<p>In his 24th Grand Slam final, Nadal will face Thiem who ended Marco Cecchinato’s French Open fairytale, reaching his first major final with a 7-5, 7-6 (12/10), 6-1 victory.</p>.<p>Seventh seed Thiem is the first Austrian to make a final at the majors since Thomas Muster was champion in Paris in 1995.</p>.<p>“It was a very difficult first set and Juan Martin had lots of opportunities. He was a little unfortunate,” said Nadal who reeled off 14 of the last 17 games, having seen Del Potro fail to convert any of his seven break points.</p>.<p>Nadal is now just the second man to reach 11 finals at the same Slam, equalling Roger Federer’s mark at Wimbledon.</p>.<p>“It’s impossible without hard work and going through tough moments. You have to be focussed and keep your passion for the game. I never dreamed in 2005 when I played my first final here that I would be in another one.”</p>.<p>Thiem is the only man to beat Nadal on clay in the last two seasons -- in Madrid this year and Rome in 2017.</p>.<p>But the Spaniard was impressive on Friday, finishing with 35 winners and 19 unforced errors to Del Potro’s analysis of 20 and 32.</p>.<p>“Thiem is an amazing player. He beat me in Madrid, he has big power so I have to be at my best and improve,” said Nadal. “But I believe I will be ready for the final.”</p>.<p>World number one Nadal went into Friday’s clash with a 9-5 career record against Del Potro, including all three meetings on clay.</p>.<p>However, it was Del Potro who was in the ascendancy in the rallies in the first set.</p>.<p>The fifth seed, playing in his first Roland Garros semi-final in nine years, had three break points in the third game and three more in the ninth.</p>.<p>However, the 29-year-old was unable to capitalise and Nadal made him pay in the 10th game when he claimed the opener off a netted backhand.</p>.<p>Del Potro had required the doctor early in the first set after appearing to jar his ankle in the red clay. He suffered a worrying power cut in the second set, slipping to 5-0 down on a double break, wasting his seventh break point out of seven on the way.</p>.<p>Nadal tightened his grip, going to 5-1 on another double break in the third set and sealed the match when Del Potro hit a backhand long.</p>.<p>“I had a lot of break-points. I couldn’t make it,” said Del Potro.</p>.<p>“Rafa served well and he made me run a lot. The intensity was too high the whole match, and I couldn’t stay there. He deserved to win.”</p>.<p>World 72 Cecchinato had knocked out three seeded players to reach the semi-finals, including 12-time major winner Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.</p>.<p>But Thiem, 24, was too strong and now believes he has a particularly powerful weapon on his side for the final -- breakfast. “I need to regenerate and have a good breakfast to keep up my good level.</p>.<p>Thiem, who was playing in his third successive French Open semifinal, admitted the second set had been a nervy encounter after needing five set points to get through it. “The big key was the second set,” he said.</p>.<p>Cecchinato had never won a Grand Slam match before this year’s Roland Garros but made the semis with a string of stunning wins. He put out seeded players Pablo Carreno Busta and David Goffin before the seismic shock of knocking out 2016 champion Djokovic in the quarterfinals.</p>
<p>Ten-time champion Rafael Nadal reached his 11th French Open final on Friday when he demolished Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets, setting up a title showdown with Dominic Thiem, the only man to defeat him on clay in the last two years.</p>.<p>Nadal, a 16-time Grand Slam champion, claimed his 85th win in Paris against just two losses after weathering a big-hitting opening from 2009 US Open winner Del Potro to win 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.</p>.<p>In his 24th Grand Slam final, Nadal will face Thiem who ended Marco Cecchinato’s French Open fairytale, reaching his first major final with a 7-5, 7-6 (12/10), 6-1 victory.</p>.<p>Seventh seed Thiem is the first Austrian to make a final at the majors since Thomas Muster was champion in Paris in 1995.</p>.<p>“It was a very difficult first set and Juan Martin had lots of opportunities. He was a little unfortunate,” said Nadal who reeled off 14 of the last 17 games, having seen Del Potro fail to convert any of his seven break points.</p>.<p>Nadal is now just the second man to reach 11 finals at the same Slam, equalling Roger Federer’s mark at Wimbledon.</p>.<p>“It’s impossible without hard work and going through tough moments. You have to be focussed and keep your passion for the game. I never dreamed in 2005 when I played my first final here that I would be in another one.”</p>.<p>Thiem is the only man to beat Nadal on clay in the last two seasons -- in Madrid this year and Rome in 2017.</p>.<p>But the Spaniard was impressive on Friday, finishing with 35 winners and 19 unforced errors to Del Potro’s analysis of 20 and 32.</p>.<p>“Thiem is an amazing player. He beat me in Madrid, he has big power so I have to be at my best and improve,” said Nadal. “But I believe I will be ready for the final.”</p>.<p>World number one Nadal went into Friday’s clash with a 9-5 career record against Del Potro, including all three meetings on clay.</p>.<p>However, it was Del Potro who was in the ascendancy in the rallies in the first set.</p>.<p>The fifth seed, playing in his first Roland Garros semi-final in nine years, had three break points in the third game and three more in the ninth.</p>.<p>However, the 29-year-old was unable to capitalise and Nadal made him pay in the 10th game when he claimed the opener off a netted backhand.</p>.<p>Del Potro had required the doctor early in the first set after appearing to jar his ankle in the red clay. He suffered a worrying power cut in the second set, slipping to 5-0 down on a double break, wasting his seventh break point out of seven on the way.</p>.<p>Nadal tightened his grip, going to 5-1 on another double break in the third set and sealed the match when Del Potro hit a backhand long.</p>.<p>“I had a lot of break-points. I couldn’t make it,” said Del Potro.</p>.<p>“Rafa served well and he made me run a lot. The intensity was too high the whole match, and I couldn’t stay there. He deserved to win.”</p>.<p>World 72 Cecchinato had knocked out three seeded players to reach the semi-finals, including 12-time major winner Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.</p>.<p>But Thiem, 24, was too strong and now believes he has a particularly powerful weapon on his side for the final -- breakfast. “I need to regenerate and have a good breakfast to keep up my good level.</p>.<p>Thiem, who was playing in his third successive French Open semifinal, admitted the second set had been a nervy encounter after needing five set points to get through it. “The big key was the second set,” he said.</p>.<p>Cecchinato had never won a Grand Slam match before this year’s Roland Garros but made the semis with a string of stunning wins. He put out seeded players Pablo Carreno Busta and David Goffin before the seismic shock of knocking out 2016 champion Djokovic in the quarterfinals.</p>