French Open:Roger Federer stayed on course for a first French Open title after coming from two sets to one down to defeat Juan Martin del Potro in nerveless fashion in the Roland Garros semi-finals. The Swiss, bidding to complete his haul of the grand slams, recovered from a slow start to claim a 3-6 7-6 (7/2) 2-6 6-1 6-4 victory in three hours and 28 minutes.
It was Federer's second five-set win this tournament - he was also taken the distance by Tommy Haas in the fourth round - and he has squeezed through to his fourth straight final here without being on top form.
When Federer, 27, lost the third set to Del Potro, the Argentinean was serving consistently and his powerful groundstrokes were proving too much for the world number two.
By that stage, Federer had only earned two break points, converting neither of them, but he turned that around to finish the stronger.
He is now just one win away from becoming the sixth player to complete a sweep of the Majors. The title here would also move him level with Pete Sampras on a record 14 grand-slam crowns.
Federer, installed as title favourite after Soderling dumped out reigning champion Rafael Nadal in round four, had won all his previous five meetings with Del Potro, not even dropping a set.
But he was broken in the fifth and ninth games to lose the first set here and Del Potro was dictating the rallies, feasting off Federer's weak and short backhands.
Del Potro played a poor second-set tie-break, sending four shots into the net to gift the Swiss the leveller, but he still held the whip hand and sped through a 36-minute third set during which he broke twice more.
As the South American tired, Federer found an extra gear, as he has done so often this past fortnight, and suddenly dominated Del Potro's serve.
Two breaks were sufficient to win the fourth set convincingly and he broke early in the fifth too.
Del Potro grabbed one himself as the light started to fade on Philippe Chatrier court, but he double-faulted in game seven to put Federer back in front.
This time, the Swiss did not falter.
Federer will meet Sweden's Robin Soderling in the final after he came from 4-1 down in the final set to beat 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez in a riveting battle of the big hitters.
Soderling, the conqueror of reigning champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, continued his remarkable run at Roland Garros by posting a 6-3 7-5 5-7 4-6 6-4 victory over Chilean powerhouse Gonzalez in an epic match that lasted three hours and 28 minutes.
Gonzalez, a barrel-chested, bandana-wearing slugger, had left his previous opponents punch-drunk with his booming forehand - Britain's Andy Murray can testify to that.
The 28-year-old met his match here, although after coming back from two sets down and taking an early lead in the fifth, he would have fancied his chances.
Prior to Roland Garros, Soderling had not won more than two matches at any tournament since winning a title in Lyon in October last year.
He had never previously progressed past the third round at a Major, but his form has been sensational these past two weeks.
Swedish legend Bjorn Borg was even in the crowd on Friday to cheer him on.
Borg, a six-time champion here, had sent Soderling a congratulatory text message after his amazing win over Nadal and would have been impressed with the way the 24-year-old began.
Soderling won four games on the spin to storm into a 5-2 lead and had hit 16 winners by the time he held serve to take the opening set.
Gonzalez, who has pocketed eight clay-court titles down the years, is more at home of this surface. He was attempting to mix his game up more but the composed Soderling, coached by 2000 Roland Garros finalist Magnus Norman, remained unruffled.
After saving a set point in game 10 of the second set, he picked up four break points in the next and took one to go 6-5 up when Gonzalez first slammed a forehand wide. The Swede then recovered from 0-30 to serve out for the set.
You felt sorry for the ball the way it was being smacked about. That is just the way Gonzalez likes it, and his fightback was stunning.
He earned his first break points of both the third and fourth sets in what proved to be their final games, taking both at the first time of asking.
And in the fifth set, he broke in game two to race into 3-0 and 4-1 leads.
Soderling looked down and out but he recovered.
He broke back in the seventh game thanks to two marvellous winners from either wing on successive returns of serve, and another backhand winner on his third break point in game nine saw him go 5-4 ahead.
A superb forehand, his 74th winner of the match, sealed his win and a place in his first Grand Slam final.
He said: "My first feeling was relief because it was a long match and I was tired, but after a few seconds I got really, really happy.
"If you'd have asked me a couple of years ago which grand slam I'd be playing a final in, I wouldn't have said Roland Garros."
Gonzalez said: "I never felt comfortable on the court against him. He was playing at a really high level.
"At 4-4 (in the fifth), I was really exhausted, both physically and mentally."