MONTREAL (AP) – Novak Djokovic downed Rafael Nadal 7-5, 6-3 Saturday night to earn a showdown with Roger Federer in the final of the Rogers Cup.

Federer, the world No. 1, took a step toward a third Rogers Cup title with a methodical 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the early semifinal of the $2.45 million Masters Series event.

“Novak’s absolutely a tough player at this moment,” Federer said. “He’s got a good serve and return and he always makes you work hard.”

Federer reached his seventh final in 10 tournaments this year. The Rogers Cup is his first tournament since taking his fifth straight Wimbledon title on July 8.

“I was very happy with the way I played,” he said. “It was a tough match with a lot of crucial points and a lot of shots played on reaction.”

The 26-year-old will be going for his 50th title against the third-seeded Djokovic, who has lost to the Swiss ace in all of their four previous matches.

Federer has won 16 straight matches at the Rogers Cup, with tournament wins in 2004 and 2006 in Toronto.

The 20-year-old Djokovic did not lose a service game against 21-year-old Nadal, and has lost only once on serve in 40 chances in the tournament.

But he had to hold off three break points in a long game for a 6-5 lead in the opening set, then got a service break to close the set.

He was down 0-40 early in the second, but won a challenge for an ace and went on to hold service again before breaking Nadal’s serve for a 5-3 lead in the second.

“This is one of the biggest wins of my career,” Djokovic told a courtside television interviewer after the match.

It was only the second win in seven career meetings with Nadal, but Djokovic has won the last two on hardcourts. Nadal, the 2005 Rogers Cup champion, was playing his first hardcourt tournament since March.

Federer and Stepanek held serve through the first set, but Federer was down 0-40 in the seventh game. He took charge and won four straight points, two on aces, and saved the game.

“That was the key to the match,” Stepanek said. “I didn’t use that chance.”

Federer let three set points slip away in the tiebreaker, but then ended it with a backhand return.

Stepanek was broken twice in the second set as Federer clinched the win.

It was the first time since 1989 that the top three seeds reached the semifinals in Canada. The last time the top two seeds played the final was 2004, when Federer beat Andy Roddick.