Rafael Nadal proved he is the undisputed clay-court King with a pulsating 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 win over Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic to reach the final of the Hamburg Masters Series on Saturday. Nadal will go to Roland Garros in just over a week as world number two after setting up a re-match of last year's final against defending champion Roger Federer on Sunday. This will be the 15th time the pair have met, but Federer has only beaten Nadal once on clay - in last year's final here when he bounced back from losing the first set to floor the Spaniard 2-6, 6-2, 6-0. Federer booked his place in the Hamburg final for the fifth time in his career after seeing off Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-1 in Saturday's other semifinal. Sharapova pulls out Russian second seed Maria Sharapova pulled out of Saturday's Italian Open semifinal with Serb title holder Jelena Jankovic because of calf strain. Sharapova, who will become world number one next week after Belgian Justine Henin retired from tennis on Wednesday, said she should be fully fit for the French Open which starts on May 25. “The most important thing is recovery and to be ready for the French (Open), which is obviously a goal for every player,” Australian Open champion Sharapova told a news conference. “I'm going to Paris in a couple of hours. I'm going to get some treatment over there and try to be ready as soon as possible. I hope in two days I'll be able to be on court and be normal.” In the final, fourth seed Jankovic will meet 18-year-old French qualifier Alize Cornet, who advanced beating Russian sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. “I wanted to play. I was ready for another challenge, another tough match,” said Jankovic, who beat American seventh seed Venus Williams in the quarterfinals on Friday. Night final in Australia The Australian Open women's singles final will be a night match in 2009, and defending champion Maria Sharapova thinks it will be a good move. “The atmosphere at Melbourne Park at night is great and the cooler conditions allow the players to really produce their best,” said Sharapova, who beat Ana Ivanovic in January in this year's Saturday afternoon final. “I think this move will further showcase a great sporting event and is good for both players and fans.” Tournament director Craig Tiley said in a statement Saturday that officials had been considering a night final for the women since a switch to a men's Sunday night final was made in 2005. “Our research has shown that the Australian tennis public would prefer the women's singles final to be played at night,” Tiley said. The 2009 Australian Open is scheduled from Jan. 19
