French Open Daily: Day 13

Author:
Bryan Armen Graham
Publish date:
Jun 3, 2011

Still the one: Roger Federer (above) celebrates after Friday's dramatic victory over Novak Djokovic, who hadn't lost in 2011. (Cynthia Lum/Icon SMI)

What's Happening Saturday

Francesca Schiavone and Li Na will meet in the women's singles final (9 a.m. ET, NBC).

Non-televised matches include the men's doubles final between the second-seeded team of Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor and the unseeded team of Juan Sebastian Cabal and Eduardo Schwank (who upset the Bryan brothers in Thursday's semifinals).

The complete order of play for Day 14 can be found here.

What Happened Friday

• The streak is over. Novak Djokovic's 43-match winning streak is no more thanks to Roger Federer, who summoned one of his finest performances in a 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) victory. He advances to Sunday's French Open men's final (9 a.m. ET, NBC), where he go head-to-head with a familiar foe ...

• Nadal back in French final. Rafael Nadal, who turned 25 today, dispensed of Andy Murray in straight sets to improve to 44-1 lifetime at Roland Garros. He'll try for his record-tying sixth French Open title on Sunday.

• Garcia falls in girls' singles. Remember Caroline Garcia, the 17-year-old who nearly took out Maria Sharapova (and who's already been tabbed for superstardom by Andy Murray)? She lost 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 in today's girls' singles semifinals to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.

• American advances to boys' final. Who says Americans can't cut it on clay? The last Yank standing at Roland Garros is Bjorn Frantangelo, a 17-year-old originally from Plum, Pa., who won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 over France's Tristan Lamasine to advance to Sunday's boys' singles final.

Paris Clicks

Why Federer vs. Nadal in clay is closer than you think ... Deadspin's crackerjack coverage of the French Open continues with this post on Roger Federer's balls ... Murray's courage was no match for Nadal's killer instinct ... The excellent Road to Roland Garros series continues with Novak Djokovic ... British mystery gambler "Dead Cert Man" lost £120,000 betting on Djokovic to beat Federer ... Caroline Wozniacki just paid $9 million for a pair of two-bedroom apartments overlooking New York's Union Square.

Photo of the Day

Spectators applaud after Roger Federer defeats Novak Djokovic (from SI.com's Best Shots from Day 13 at the French Open).

Go Figure

60 years, 79 days ... Combined age of Francesca Schiavone and Li Na, making Saturday's match the oldest Grand Slam women's singles final since Wimbledon in 1998, when Jana Novotna beat Nathalie Tauziat.

49 ... Career victories by Roger Federer at the French Open after Thursday's semifinal victory, matching Bjorn Borg. Only Guillermo Vilas (56), Ivan Lendl (53) and Andre Agassi (51) have more.

175-0 ... Career record of Roger Federer at Grand Slams when holding a two-set lead.

Must-See Video

Check out Nadal's sportsmanship at the 0:20 mark of the following clip, when he overrules a line call to give Andy Murray the opening game of the second set. At game point, Murray's first serve is ruled long -- but Nadal walks forward, inspects the mark and concedes the game.