The sixth-seeded Tsonga beat the unseeded Isner 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3) in a gritty contest lasting nearly three hours, a total contrast to Federer’s breezy victory in 80 minutes.
Federer, the 16-time Grand Slam champion, looked impregnable on his serve and did not face a break point. He broke the fifth-seeded Berdych’s serve at the start of each set to take control.
“I really played great today. I didn’t give Tomas much. I was able to play aggressive and serve good, so overall it was a wonderful performance,” Federer said. “I just felt like I was reading his serve, I was playing well from the baseline.”
Berdych, the 2005 champion, appeared nervous and failed to find any rhythm as Federer dictated rallies with his unwavering forehand.
Berdych was so impressed that he felt like he was playing against “the old Roger” who won 42 titles, including 11 Grand Slams, from 2004-07.
“We can count the unforced errors he made on the fingers of one hand,” Berdych said. “He played like I remember him (playing) a few years ago. Today was pretty much no chance at all for me.”
Federer agreed that he was close to his best in making his first Paris Masters final.
“I take it as a compliment because the Roger Federer of old, he lost five matches a year and won 90 or 80,” Federer said. “I think he did really well to hang in there, because I did have more chances than him.”
The Swiss star, who won his home tournament in Basel last week, will try for his 69th title in his 99th final. He has now reached at least the final of all nine Masters events.
Tsonga won his only Masters title in Paris three years ago, and aims for his eighth career title. He almost threw away the semifinal against Isner when, serving at 40-15 up in the 12th game of the third set, he let Isner back in.
Tsonga saved three match points, with Isner helping him with unforced errors from the baseline.
Isner held serve for the entire match, but Tsonga dominated the tiebreakers to give the final a Frenchman for the fourth successive year.
Tsonga won the first tiebreaker 7-1, and the second 7-3, clinching victory on his first match point with a quick forehand pass that flew past Isner, who was hoping to become the first American to win here since Andre Agassi in 1999.
Tsonga and Federer are set to meet for the sixth time this year, and first since the US Open quarterfinals when Federer prevailed. Federer leads the matchups 5-3 overall, but two of Tsonga’s wins were this year at Wimbledon and the Rogers Cup.
