Paris: Roger Federer reached his first French Open final on Friday after Argentine David Nalbandian quit while trailing 3-6 6-4 5-2 in their semi-final.
Nalbandian called the trainer for a lengthy consultation early in the third set and, apparently struggling with a stomach problem, informed the umpire that he could not continue after losing serve to trail 5-2.
The Argentine walked back to his chair and said: "I can't play anymore." Earlier the third seed had led by a set and 3-0 before Federer recovered in some style.
The world number one, who is seeking to complete his collection of grand slam titles by winning the claycourt event for the first time, plays either defending champion Rafael Nadal or Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in Sunday's final.
"It's very tough, we were playing well, we were fighting," said Federer, who lost in last year's semi-finals to Nadal.
"He played very well during the first set, I thought I was going to lose. Something needed to change."
Nalbandian's retirement was the ninth such withdrawal from the men's singles on the energy-sapping clay at Roland Garros.
It also curtailed what had developed into a scintillating match on a bright, breezy centre court. Nalbandian has less reason than most to fear Federer.
Before Friday he led their head-to-head 6-5 and beat the Swiss in the final of last year's Masters Cup. The Argentine is built like a tank and he went after Federer's serve from the start.
A break in the fifth game brought a roar from the noisy Argentine contingent in the crowd and a subdued looking Federer faltered again at 3-5 on his forehand to lose the opening set.
Nalbandian was quickly 3-0 up in the second when, suddenly, Federer stirred. He took the first three points of Nalbandian's next service game and the Argentine handed him the break with a double-fault.
Two games later Federer delivered one of the shots of this or any other tournament. Chasing back to retrieve a Nalbandian lob he invented an outrageous forehand winner almost with his back turned to the net.
Nalbandian smiled in disbelief and Federer raised his arm in the air, finger aloft as if to say, 'That's why I'm number one.'
Suitably humbled, Nalbandian missed an easy overhead to lose serve again and Federer was on his way to levelling the match.
An errant forehand cost Nalbandian his serve at the start of the third set and trailing 2-1 he consulted the trainer at length in his chair.
The 2004 semi-finalist's will was broken and when he lost serve at 2-4, Nalbandian decided he had had enough.
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