Before that though there is a women's final that is packed with intrigue.

Maria Sharapova's yippy serve and steely determination? Or Simona Halep's metronomic consistency and Grand Slam final inexperience?

Pick a winner and make a case.

Aimee Lewis will be your guide to that one from before 14:00 tomorrow.

From me and Stephan it is adieu though. Later on.

So it is "just" Novak Djokovic that stands between Rafael Nadal and a ninth French Open title.

Just the man who has beaten Nadal twice in finals already this season.

Just the man who will succeed Nadal as world number one if he wins.

Just the man who is hunting the fourth and final piece of a Grand Slam jigsaw that already includes Australian, Wimbledon and US titles.

You wouldn't want to miss it. Stand by your screens from 14:00 BST Sunday for that one.

A little bit of history was achieved today with Rafael Nadal becoming the first man in the Open era to make nine appearances in the final of one Grand Slam, surpassing the record jointly held by Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras (both eight US Open finals) and Roger Federer (eight Wimbledon finals).

Bambi:, external How can you be that good on clay? Nadal is simply unplayable.

Laura Lambert:, external That result was to be expected, Nadal on flying form. Think Novak might unseat him in final. Bring on grass season for Murray

James Kelly:, external Unfortunately Murray didn't stand a chance against Nadal in this mood on clay! Simply unbeatable on his day!

Sunday Times tennis correspondent Barry Flatman on Twitter:, external "Roland Garros players lounge. Toni Nadal kisses Judy Murray & says: "I'm sorry." Judy M replies: "No you're not.Your boy was too good.""

I make that a Murray victory over Nadal in the post-match smalltalk at least.

English golfer and former world number one Lee Westwood:, external Stating the obvious but Nadal is pretty good. Especially on clay! Beast!

Maybe words don't do Rafa's performance justice. Numbers might do the job better.

Andy Murray matched the Spaniard for aces - with two each - but it gets ugly further down the stats list.

Nadal landed 76% of his first serves, Murray was on target with 52%

Nadal won 91% of his first serve points, Murray managed 63%

Nadal won six out of six break points, Murray won none from none.

24 winners to 11, 15 unforced errors to 26, 83 points to 43.

You get the idea.

Amy Trafankowska:, external Well that went as expected. Murray had a great tournament overall but he was up against the king of clay. Nadal was on fire!

Default Girl:, external Brutal, ruthless, breathtaking. That's how I would describe Nadal today. Sheer brilliance.

Lewis Howard:, external This semi final appearance from Murray really highlights how much he needs a coach. His tactics have been non existent.

Image source, Getty Images

Where now for Andy Murray? Well, he will be setting his sat-nav for Queen's Club, via a stop-off at the laundrette to pick up his whites, because the grass court season is just a few days away.

The Aegon Championships begin on Monday and there will be some decent opposition, in the shape of Stanislas Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, as he warms up for the defence of his Wimbledon title.

Alberto:, external Nadal on another different level entirely, I can see him winning the remaining slams of the year if he stays fit

Joe Vaughan:, external Murray is given a lesson on how to play clay tennis by the master of clay, Nadal. Simply unplayable.

Charlie Shanahan:, external Rafa gets a lot of deserved praise but I'm not having that this scoreline is all down to his brilliance, Andy's legs have gone

Rafael Nadal speaking to ITV4: "As a kid it was my dream was to play here at Roland Garros, after 10 years of coming here to be playing in my ninth final is unbelievable. I want to thank everyone."

On the final against Novak Djokovic: "He is an unbelievable opponent, it's going to be a big, big challenge and I will have to be at my best to beat him. He will be full of confidence after winning in Rome but I think I am getting better day by day. I played some good stuff today so hopefully I can do that again."

Novak Djokovic did his post-match interview in French and Rafa is damned if he is going to lose that public relations skirmish.

He deploys his own version of the local lingo, describing the support as "incroyable" and "formidable", before breaking into English for the final question.

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"I don't think anyone in the world would have stopped Rafael Nadal today. His forehand was like an absolute jackhammer and there was just no stopping him at all."

Novak Djokovic sent tremors through the main draw with his straight-sets dispatching of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but this was of another order.

One hour and 40 minutes on the clock when the final shot headed into the crowd.

Image source, Reuters

Andy Murray looks deep in thought as he collects his racquet bag and trudges to the locker room. I'm not sure that a tennis brain the size of Einstein's can find an answer for him.

Rafael Nadal celebrates his ninth French Open final like it is his first. Head thrown back, arms aloft.

Andy Murray's body language is the same as Kevin the Teenager's as he presses long to give Rafael Nadal 15-30. All lolling head and swinging limbs as he heads across to the other side of the court to serve.

He swings those loose arms at a big forehand at deuce, but is a whisker wide. Match point Nadal and he takes it in the most emphatic way, hammering a smash into the second row.

Danny Morgan:, external Masterful from Nadal today, but still fancy Murray for Wimbledon

Stuart Fraser:, external I haven't seen Nadal play this brutally since he won the US Open last year. Incredible stuff!

Toby Archer:, external Did Murray not learn anything from the Rome 3 setter? unless you take the game to Rafa it's adios on this surface.

If you are going to be given a lesson, you may as well learn something.

Andy Murray slaps away a Rafa-style forehand down the line to move to 15-30.

The Nadal serve is a much beefier dish than it was two or three years ago though and he forces an error off Murray on the next point.

We get a Nadal error to keep alongside the hen's teeth and four-leaf clovers to take us to deuce on his serve for the first time in the match.

But that is all. It's drinking-up time in the last-chance saloon and Nadal hustles Murray out of the door.

Former American tennis player Andy Roddick:, external Random musing.... How many coaches in the US would have "corrected" Rafas technique on his forehand when he finishes on wrong side of body?

Andy Murray racks up more miles than a travelling salesman's saloon and still finds himself on the losing end of the opening point.

The Scot affords himself a wry smile as Rafael Nadal misses the first forehand since he was 12 to give him a point at 15-30. You can understand his bemusement.

Nadal just keeps trucking, winning the next two points to break for a second time in the third and all but put himself in the final.

They won't need to drag those plastic flaps over the court after this one. Philippe Chatrier has been the scene of an almighty steamrollering.