Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic clashes in semi final

Third seed Roger Federer will meet in-form Novak Djokovic for a place in the French Open final after beating home favourite Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) in a low-quality quarterfinal match on Tuesday.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner, who lost in the last eight last year following four straight final appearances, faces Djokovic after the second seed's scheduled quarterfinal opponent, Italy's Fabio Fognini, withdrew through injury.

"He (Monfils) is a superb player, so I knew the danger of this quarterfinal," said Federer after his sixth career victory over Monfils.

"I'm very happy to be in the semifinals."

Former world number one Federer, the 2009 champion, has made steady progress in the tournament to date and is yet to lose a set.

Djokovic, however, has beaten the great Swiss in their three previous encounters and requires just one more victory to level John McEnroe's 1984 record of 42 matches unbeaten at the start of a season.

A victory on Friday will also crown the Serb as the new world number one.

"Playing a semifinal here at Roland Garros is a great moment and playing such a great player is what we train for," added Federer.

Federer made an uncertain start amid windy, overcast conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier and was broken to love in his second service game.

The Swiss broke back immediately, however, thanks to a perfectly judged backhand drop shot that bit and died in the dust, before obliging the ninth-seeded Monfils to fight off three break points in the eighth game.

Seeded outside the top two at a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2003, Federer brought up two set points on Monfils' serve shortly afterwards and then clinched the first set when the world number nine put a forehand wide.

Following an exchange of breaks in the second set, Federer broke for a 4-2 lead when Monfils double-faulted, prompting the Frenchman to fling his racquet to the ground in disgust.

Both men were culpable of some dismal shot-making, but it did not prevent Federer from closing out the set when a stretching Monfils sent a backhand long.

Monfils saved three break points at 4-4 in the third set and two at 5-5, but swiftly fell 6-1 down in the ensuing tie-break and was finally beaten when Federer thrashed a forehand winner down the line.