Nadal overpowers Gasquet

The Spaniard needed an hour to seal a highly-competitive first set but Gasquet faded badly in the second and hit a backhand into the net to end the match after one hour and 33 minutes.

"I'm playing better every day," Nadal said. "He (Gasquet) is playing really well right now and I had to save a few tough situations with my serve. It's been a tough week and I'm happy to be in my sixth final in a row."

Nadal, whose two-year winning streak on clay was ended by Novak Djokovic in the Madrid Masters final last weekend, will face either the Serbian world number two or fourth seed Andy Murray in Sunday's final.

"I'm not going to be stupid. I'd prefer to play Murray," said Nadal.

"He (Djokovic) has beaten me in the last few tournaments and it seems he's unbeatable this year. He's in a different league. I've lost my favourite status, so I'll play without 100 per cent pressure."

Gasquet made a bright start to the match, belying the fact that he had not beaten Nadal in eight previous attempts, holding for the loss of just the one point to get the clash underway.

Nadal was similarly quick out of the blocks, also posting a comfortable service hold to open his account before the two players traded further holds to march through the first set.

Fresh from confidence-building comebacks over Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych, Gasquet looked liked he fancied his chances of upsetting Nadal and he was the first to earn a break point in the match.

The Frenchman rifled a backhand winner across court for two break points in the sixth game but Nadal managed to save them both before going on to hold once again.

With Gasquet serving first in the match, it fell to Nadal to serve to stay in the opening set, something he achieved with aplomb in the 10th game when he held with a vicious forehand winner.

If his forehand winner to end the previous game signalled an intent, then Nadal's play in the opening point of the 11th game screamed 'break' as the Spaniard peppered Gasquet's backhand with a series of huge forehands from the baseline.

And sure enough the world number one did go on to break at the first attempt, easily spotting Gasquet's attempt to ghost into the net and dinking his backhand passing shot back behind the Frenchman.

Gasquet produced an impressive level of battling spirit as he earned himself an immediate break-back point but once again Nadal saved it, this time with a great first serve down the centre of the court.

And Nadal, not one to give an opponent too many opportunities, quickly made amends by bringing up a set point with a forehand winner right on the line after a lengthy rally, before sealing it when Gasquet hit a return of serve into the net.

"I was a little bit tired after the matches with Roger and Tomas," Gasquet said. "I played a one-hour first set. I wanted to take my break points because I was serving well and the court was fast, but I didn't take my chances and against Rafa it's very hard to come back."

After dropping such a tight first set, Gasquet's head dropped, and with it his resilience as Nadal ran away with the match.

The world number one broke in the opening game of the second set, a forehand stop volley at an acute angle comfortably beating Gasquet for pace, before holding to consolidate with his second ace of the day.

Although Gasquet did get off the mark with a hold in the third game, Nadal broke for a second time in the fifth and, two games later, went on to earn himself two match points when the Frenchman hit a low backhand into the bottom of the net.

One chance was all Nadal needed though, as he reached his fourth final of the claycourt season with another vicious backhand down the line that Gasquet again returned into the bottom of the net.