US Open Tennis
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns the ball to Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York...
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns the ball to Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
APTOPIX US Open Tennis
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after defeating Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, in three sets during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tourn...
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after defeating Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, in three sets during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
US Open Tennis
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns the ball to Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York...
Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns the ball to Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
APTOPIX US Open Tennis
Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, reacts during the third set of a men's semifinal match against Rafael Nadal, of Spain, at the U.S. Open tennis tournament...
Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, reacts during the third set of a men's semifinal match against Rafael Nadal, of Spain, at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
US Open Tennis
Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, returns a shot to Rafael Nadal, of Spain, during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, ...
Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, returns a shot to Rafael Nadal, of Spain, during a men's semifinal match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal has reached his first U.S. Open final, defeating 12th-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 to set up the first half of a much-anticipated Nadal versus Roger Federer match for the championship.
Nadal, who needs the U.S. Open to complete the career Grand Slam, had little trouble with the Russian. He lost only one service game and improved to 89-for-91 on serve for the tournament. Nadal still hasn't lost a set in six matches this year at Flushing Meadows.
He will play the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between second-seeded Federer and third-seeded Novak Djokovic.
Nadal is 5-2 against Federer in Grand Slam finals, all in Australia, Wimbledon and the French Open.
