Defending champion Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals. Rafael Nadal is now just one victory away to win 12th Roland Garros title. The defending champion produced a masterful performance to get past Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the last four on Court Philippe Chatrier. Rafael Nadal will now play the final with either world number one Novak Djokovic or Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem on Sunday.