Novak Djokovic denied Rafael Nadal another instalment of his rivalry with Roger Federer, ousting the Spanish world number two Nadal 7-5, 6-3 to book his own finals meeting with Federer at the Montreal Masters.
Federer and Nadal were on course for their fifth meeting in the finals this season, but Djokovic crashed the party in reaching his fifth final of 2007. Federer, the top seed, reached the final on schedule with a 7-6, (8/6), 6-2 win over Radek Stepanek. Federer reached his fifth final in his last six tournaments, and won his 40th match of the season.
In Djokovic, he'll face a player he has beaten in all four of their previous encounters.
Djokovic has shined in his first hardcourt tournament in months. The Serb fired 11 aces and saved all eight break points he faced against Nadal, who won the tournament the last time it was played in Montreal two years ago.
"This is one of the biggest wins of my career. I beat him (on hardcourt) in Miami, and I've done it again," Djokovic said. "I played some really impressive tennis. It was a great atmosphere," said the winner of three titles this season."
Nadal said he ran out of puff. "He was just too good today," said Nadal, who had won five of his six meetings with Djokovic. At Wimbledon, Nadal took advantage of a retirement by Djokovic to reach the final.
"I have to work on my movement a bit. I had a week off with a knee problem and I've only been practising lightly before coming over. "I've had a good week and the fans are maybe more disappointed than I am."
The world number two had been severely tested 24 hours earlier by Canadian Frank Dancevic in the quarter-finals. Federer booked his fifth final in his last six tournaments as he won his 40th match of the season.
"I was very happy the way I played today," said the Swiss star who is just one win away from a 50th career title. "It was a tough match with a lot of crucial points, a lot of shots played on reaction.
"I couldn't really dictate play, he kept coming at me. But I came up with some really nice passing shots when I had to. After while I also started to serve really well, so I was really happy with my performance." Federer had to fight for 53 minutes to clinch the first set against Stepanek, who is ranked 60th after making a comeback from a nerve injury, which affected his racket hand.
The Czech had lost three of four matches against 11-time Grand Slam winner Federer.
The top seed had to be alert in the seventh game of the first set, saving three break points and firing two aces to go 4-3 ahead. Federer, who won the Canadian event in 2004 and last year, held a 3-1 lead in the tiebreaker only to watch Stepanek close the gap.
The Czech saved three set points but was unable to hold off Federer on a fourth. Federer seized control in the second set and completed his win in 81 minutes with back-to-back aces, his 12th and 13th of the afternoon.
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