Roger Federer will meet Rafael Nadal in a second consecutive Madrid Masters final after beating David Ferrer of Spain 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 Saturday. Nadal came from behind to beat Spanish countryman Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first semifinal. Last year, Federer beat then-No. 1-ranked Nadal in the final for his second Madrid title. Nadal, assured of returning to No. 2 in the rankings with Saturday's win, is aiming for his second title in Madrid. Federer, who'd beaten Ferrer in all nine of their previous meetings, served superbly in the first set, losing only two service points and sending 77 percent of his first serves in. By contrast, Ferrer's serve was under pressure from the start and the Acapulco champion and Rome runner-up had to save two break points on his second service game. Although Federer was in control, the Spaniard stayed level, saving a further three break points at 4-4. However, a forehand winner down the line gave Federer another break point at 5-5 and this time he converted it when Ferrer hit the net before serving for the set. In the second set the top seed's serve faltered. Ferrer took the third of three break points to go 3-1 up before holding serve to take the second set. Both players racked up unforced errors in the third set as neither could make the breakthrough. Eventually Federer carved out a break point with a crosscourt winner followed by a long forehand from Ferrer and the defending champion took the chance before serving for the match. The second-seeded Nadal made a string of early unforced errors, dropping serve three times in the opening set. Almagro appeared on course to finally beating Nadal at his sixth attempt as he kept firing forehand winners past him. Nadal broke back in the second game. Almagro won the next game to love when Nadal hit a backhand into the net, then served to go 4-1 up. Nadal gave a trademark shout and pump of the fist as he broke back again, although the unseeded Almagro coolly saved two break points at 5-4 to close out the set. In the second set, Nadal's groundstrokes started finding their target and he broke twice as Almagro made 15 unforced errors. Almagro sent a forehand wide in the second game of the decider to hand Nadal the key break before serving out. Earlier, Venus Williams reached her first Madrid Masters final by beating Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 6-0. Venus has a 12-1 record on clay this year after having beaten Samantha Stosur and Vera Zvonareva this week. The fourth-seeded American will play Aravane Rezai of France after Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic retired from the second women's semifinal. Rezai has reached the final in only her second appearance at Madrid. She converted both of her break points against Safarova to take the first set 6-1 in 23 minutes, firing 15 winners in the process. Safarova withdrew because of a thigh injury at the start of the second set.
