(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal eased into his first US Open final on Saturday with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
The Spaniard had too much power and control for the tournament's 12th seed, winning in two hours 13 minutes.
"For me it is a dream to play for the first time in a final in the biggest center court in the world," said the 24-year-old Nadal, who lost in the semi-finals here for the last two years.
"I have been trying my best for years so after a lot of work I am very happy about that.
Nadal reached the last four in New York for the third straight year without losing a set and he had dropped serve just once in 77 service games.
The stakes were high for Nadal as he bid to reach the US Open final for the first time at his eighth attempt.
A win here on Sunday would make him the seventh man in history, and the second youngest, to win all four Grand Slam titles - Australian, French, Wimbledon and US - during his career.
It would also make him just the fourth man to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles in the Open era dating back to 1968.
CNN
