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At French Open, Roger Federer Ends Novak Djokovic's Perfect Season

Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after losing to Switzerland's Roger Federer during a semi final at the French Open tennis championship.
Patrick Kovarik
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AFP/Getty Images
Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after losing to Switzerland's Roger Federer during a semi final at the French Open tennis championship.

In what the BBC calls an "imperious display," Roger Federer ended Novak Djokovic's perfect season and 43-match winning streak at the French Open. Federer now advances to the final on Sunday against Rafael Nadal.

If you're not much of a tennis fan, here's what was at stake in this match for everyone:

-- The Guardian reports Djokovic was chasing "John McEnroe's record of 42 straight wins to start a season." Djokovic is ranked No. 2 in the world after Nadal. The BBC says that Djokovic had never made it past the semi-finals and one more victory could have seen him replace Nadal as No. 1 in the world.

-- The AP reports Nadal beat Andy Murray earlier today, getting him one step closer to Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open titles.

-- Federer was displaced at No. 1 by Nadal back in 2008. The rivalry has been dramatic ever since and the Guardian adds, "on Sunday Federer will attempt to beat Nadal for the first time on the clay in Paris."

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Eyder Peralta
Eyder Peralta is NPR's East Africa correspondent based in Nairobi, Kenya.