Nadal demolishes Schuettler to reach third final

Rafael Nadal set up a third successive Wimbledon final against champion Roger Federer after brushing aside German Rainer Schuettler 6-1 7-6 6-4.

Rafael Nadal set up a third successive Wimbledon final against champion Roger Federer after brushing aside German Rainer Schuettler 6-1 7-6 6-4 on Friday. The Spanish second seed and French Open champion raced through the first set, taking it in just 23 minutes when the world number 94 netted a backhand.

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Schuettler, who had less than 24 hours to recover from his five-hour 12 minute quarter-final against Arnaud Clement that spanned two days, broke in the third game of the second but let the advantage slip when he was serving for the set and allowed Nadal to break back.

Nadal, seeking his first title at the All England Club, was dominant in the tiebreak and continued the momentum for an early break in the third. He wasted three match points on Schuettler's serve before nailing victory when the German returned wide.