Paris, Jun 1 (AFP) Third seed Roger Federer will meet in-form Novak Djokovic for a place in the French Open final after beating home favourite Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) in a quarter-final match.
The 16-time Grand Slam winner, who lost in the last eight last year following four straight final appearances, faces Djokovic after the Serb's scheduled quarter-final opponent, Italy's Fabio Fognini, withdrew through injury.
"He (Monfils) is a superb player, so I knew the danger of this quarter-final," said Federer after his sixth career victory over Monfils yesterday.
"I'm very happy to be in the semi-finals."
Monfils said the gusting winds on Roland Garros's central court had made life difficult for him.
"My big weakness today was that I wasn't able to serve at all," he said.
"If I'd had more of a serve, I would not have been handicapped. The wind made things really difficult.