( CNN ) -- The stage is set for another classic men 's grand slam final on Sunday after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal set up a French Open showdown with much more than just the title at stake . World No . 1 Djokovic will seek to become the first man since 1969 to hold all four majors at the same time , and only the third ever , while second-ranked Nadal is aiming for a record seventh crown at Roland Garros . Djokovic is through to the Paris final for the first time after avenging last year 's semi defeat against the man who ended his 43-match winning streak , Roger Federer . The Serbian struggled to overcome Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets in his previous match , but was dominant against the 16-time grand slam champion on Friday as he triumphed 6-4 7-5 6-3 in just over two hours . Nadal , the modern game 's `` King of Clay , '' crushed fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the opening semifinal as he won 6-2 6-2 6-1 against the sixth seed to take his record at the tournament to 51-1 . His only defeat came against Robin Soderling in 2009 , when Federer won the title to complete his career grand slam . This year Nadal has not dropped a set in six matches , losing only 35 games in total . `` My level has improved slightly against last year ao I am satisfied and happy because I 've already improved , '' said the 26-year-old , who is tied with Bjorn Borg on six titles . `` Last year I had the impression I did n't really play that well ; whereas this year I 'm playing really well . I am having almost a perfect clay-court season , and we 'll see what 's going on in the final . '' Last year Djokovic beat Nadal in six successive finals , including two on clay , but he has n't been as dominant in 2012 since overcoming his rival in the longest grand slam title match in history at the Australian Open in January . That followed his Wimbledon and U.S. Open successes in 2011 , setting up his tilt at history . Nadal triumphed in straight sets in their final encounters in Monte Carlo -- a tournament where Djokovic played on despite the death of his grandfather -- and Rome last month . While Nadal has strolled through his half of the draw in Paris , Djokovic has twice been taken to five sets as he saved four match-points against home hope Tsonga after retrieving a 2-0 deficit against 22nd seed Andreas Seppi in the previous round . However , Djokovic showed his true class against Federer as he denied the Swiss third seed a chance to win his first grand slam since 2010 . `` I am happy to be in the final here , it 's always difficult to play against Roger , '' said the 25-year-old , who has hopes of completing a `` Golden Slam '' this year with the addition of the Olympic title . `` It 's a dream to be in the final , but Rafa , who always plays so well here , will be the favorite . '' Federer was disappointed after blowing a 3-0 lead in the second set , and was also 5-4 ahead . `` He played well under difficult conditions , '' the 30-year-old said . `` But I had chances . There are no excuses . `` I tried and if I had won that second set , it would have been a different match . But it did n't work out . '' Rod Laver is the last man to hold all four grand slam titles , and the Australian did it twice in a calendar year -- in 1962 as an amateur and then in 1969 as a professional . American Don Budge also achieved the feat in 1938 .
World No . 1 Novak Djokovic will play Rafael Nadal in Sunday 's French Open final . The world number one is the only man to have won all four Grand Slams since 2009 and has never lost a set against Nadal. Nadal thrashed David Ferrer to earn a chance at a record seventh Paris crown . The last man to hold to hold all four majors was Australian Rod Laver in 1969 .