Former world number one tennis player Roger Federer of Switzerland has stopped the 2011 unbeaten run of Serbia's Novak Djokovic with a thrilling semifinal win at the French Open in Paris.

Federer won Friday's match in four tightly played sets featuring two tiebreakers, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.

The defeat left Djokovic one win short of matching American legend John McEnroe's 1984 record of a 42-match unbeaten start to a season. It stopped the number-two Serb's overall winning streak of 43 matches dating from last year.

The third-ranked Federer, who won the French Open in 2009, will take on number-one Rafael Nadal of Spain in Sunday's final. The five-time champion Nadal won his semifinal earlier Friday over number-four Andy Murray of Britain in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

The women's French Open final is set for Saturday, with China's Li Na taking on defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy. The two have split their four previous head-to-head meetings.