PARIS, France (AFP) — Defending champion Rafael Nadal moved closer to an historic eighth French Open title yesterday when he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 9-7 in a titanic semi-final.

In tomorrow’s title match, the third seed will face fourth-seeded compatriot David Ferrer who ended French hopes of a first champion in 30 years by sweeping past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.

Nadal will be aiming to be the first man to win the same major eight times while 31-year-old Ferrer will be appearing in his first Grand Slam final.

He has reached the championship match at the 42nd time of asking but now faces overturning a 19-4 career deficit against his compatriot.

Nadal, the third seed, took his Paris record to a staggering 58 wins from 59 matches after recovering from 4-2 down in the deciding set to clinch victory after four hours and 37 minutes.

Yesterday’s win was Nadal’s 20th in 35 career clashes — and 13th from 16 on clay — against Djokovic.

In a dramatic and controversial final set, Djokovic broke for 1-0 before Nadal levelled in the eighth game after the Serb had been handed a time violation and then lost a point when he collided with the net as he put away a smash.

Djokovic even summoned the tournament supervisor onto the court to rage over the court conditions as he prepared to serve at 7-8.

Nadal pounced, moving to three match points and clinched victory when Djokovic, who ended with an ugly 75 unforced errors, hit wild and long.

“It’s a very special win for me and congratulations to Novak — he’s a great champion and he is going to win here at Garros one day,” said Nadal, who had lost the pair’s only other five-setter, the record-setting 2012 Australian Open final.

Djokovic was furious that his demands for the court to be watered were ignored.

“I was not asking to water the court because I want to make my opponent trip or do something like that. I was doing it for myself, because I felt that it got very dry and it was very slippery,” he said.

Tomorrow, Nadal will be appearing in his ninth final since returning from a seven-month injury lay-off.

Nadal could have ended the tie before the fifth set as he was twice a set and a break up.

Ferrer ended home hopes of sixth-seeded Tsonga who was out to match the feat of Yannick Noah, who last won the title for France in 1983.

But it was a richly deserved reward for outstanding perseverance on the part of 31-year-old Ferrer, who reached his first Grand Slam final in his 42nd appearance, by far the longest wait in the Open Era.

It will be the first all-Spanish final since 2002 when Albert Costa defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero.