Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will renew their rivalry in the Italian Open final Sunday — exactly a week before the French Open starts.

In Saturday's semifinals at the Foro Italico, Federer held off a stiff challenge from rising Frenchman Benoit Paire 7-6 (5), 6-4, and six-time Rome champion Nadal defeated sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4 — a day after Berdych rallied to beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic.

It will mark Nadal's eighth consecutive final since his return earlier this year from a seven-month layoff due to a left knee injury. As for Federer, who recently returned from a seven-week break from the circuit, it will be his first final of the year.

"It's nice to have these revival moments for both of us," Federer said. "I'm sure we're both looking forward to it. I clearly am. I hope it's the same for him."

In the women's event, top-ranked Serena Williams moved within one victory of winning her fourth consecutive title this year. She'll face third-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the final.

Williams overcame an early break of her serve to ease past Romanian qualifier Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 and extend her career-best winning run to 23 matches. Azarenka kept her concentration through two rain delays to beat seventh-seeded Sara Errani 6-0, 7-5.

Williams is coming off consecutive titles in Miami; Charleston, South Carolina; and Madrid last week.

The men's final will mark the 30th meeting between Federer and Nadal and it will be a rematch of the 2006 Rome final that Nadal won in a fifth-set tiebreaker. These days, Masters series' finals are best-of-three sets.

"We're still similar tennis players but a lot of time has gone by," Federer said. "But I think we still enjoy tennis as much as back then, maybe even more."

The 17-time Grand Slam winner recounted how the 2006 final made him believe he could compete with Nadal even on clay.

"I thought, 'If I can hang with him in Rome for 5 hours on clay, which is supposed to be his best surface, I can do it anywhere,'" Federer said.

Nadal holds a 19-10 edge head to head against Federer but they have split their last four meetings.

"We are here in 2013 and he is No. (3) in the world and I am No. 5 after not playing months and we are still playing good and I hope that this is not going to be the last time," Nadal said of the rivalry.

Federer overcame a break of his serve midway through the first set against the 36th-ranked Paire, who was playing his first Masters series semifinal. The set was decided by just a few points in the tiebreaker, which Federer closed out with an overhead smash.

Federer then went ahead with an early break in the second set and stayed in front from there.

"He's got a really good first serve, moves well, also makes you feel somewhat uncomfortable — he's got many assets," Federer said. "Clearly the tiebreaker could have gone either way. ... It was a tough match. I'm happy to come out in straight sets."

Nadal broke in the opening game of his match and immediately took control.

After being pushed to three sets in his previous two matches, against Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis and fourth-seeded David Ferrer, Nadal appeared back in his comfort zone against Berdych.

"The first set was fantastic," Nadal said. "I think I played one of the best matches since I'm back."