…  Djokovic still unbeaten in 2011
(REUTERS) – Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer served up another treat in the 24th chapter of their great rivalry yesterday when Nadal battled back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 and secure a place in the Madrid Masters final.
The Spanish world number one, who replaced Federer at the top of the rankings, made the most of his opponent’s lack of consistency to set up a meeting in today’s final against the seemingly unstoppable Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian second seed, who has not lost since Federer beat him at the World Tour Finals in November, also came from behind in a slugfest with Thomaz Bellucci later yesterday, eventually subduing the unseeded Brazilian 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Djokovic’s run of 31 wins in 2011 equals the second-best season start on record set by Bjorn Borg in 1980 and his five titles this year include the Australian Open and the Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami.
While the Nadal-Federer showdown under the closed roof of a packed Magic Box arena lacked the spine-tingling drama of previous classics, some of the shot-making, including one incredible exchange in the final game, drew gasps of delight from the 12 500 spectators.
“We know each other very, very well and I think we are sometimes thinking more about what to do to bother the other player rather than playing our best,” Nadal, who took his win-loss record against Federer to 16-8, told a news conference.
“Here I think Roger played great tennis for some moments but at others he made more mistakes than usual.
“But it’s always a special match and it’s a pleasure playing against him, it’s always an honour.”

SEARING WINNER
The heavyweight pair, who own 26 grand slam singles titles between them, had met in the last two Madrid finals, with Federer winning in 2009 and Nadal gaining revenge last year.
After a minute’s silence for Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros, who died earlier yesterday, Nadal seized the initiative and got the crowd behind him when he broke the Federer serve in the opening game.
The Swiss littered his play with unforced errors but began to find his form in a commanding service game to stay in the hunt at 3-4 and then claimed a break of his own to draw level.
After saving three break points in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead he went on the attack and a searing forehand winner down the line with Nadal off balance gave him a one-set lead.
Federer was broken straightaway at the start of the second set and lost his cool with the chair umpire on the decisive point when he thought a Nadal shot called good was wide.
“You think he (the line judge) has a clue?” a clearly angry Federer asked and continued his complaints while the players changed ends.
With Oscar-winning Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar and Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho among those watching on, Nadal stormed into a 4-0 lead and another break in the seventh game took the match to a deciding set.
Nadal’s coach and uncle Toni looked anxious in the family box as his charge saved a break point that would have given Federer a 2-1 lead before he chased down a drop shot and dinked a brilliant angled winner on the way to moving 3-1 ahead.
It seemed there might be a late twist when Federer had a chance to break back with Nadal serving for the match at 5-3 but he missed his return and the top seed converted his first match point for a memorable comeback win.

OBVIOUSLY HUGE
Something will have to give against Djokovic, whom he has beaten 16 times in 25 meetings including nine times out of nine on clay. Nadal’s defeat of Federer was his 37th consecutive win on the red dirt, yet he said Djokovic was slight favourite.
“It’ll be a very, very tough match that I could lose even if I play well,” Nadal said. “He is coming here on a winning streak and that obviously gives you a confidence boost.”
Nadal, unbeaten on clay since falling to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the 2009 French Open, is bidding for a third claycourt title in a month after he won back-to-back at the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open in April.
Federer, meanwhile will head to Rome with some more scars inflicted by his Spanish tormentor.
He was measured about the disputed line call when he spoke at his post-match news conference.
“If it goes my way it’s obviously huge, if it goes his way it’s huge,” the 29-year-old said. “Look, at the end of the day I don’t know how it was. I don’t care anymore, it’s in the past.”