MELBOURNE, Australia — Second-ranked Rafael Nadal was dominated in stunning fashion today by unheralded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who reached the Australian Open finals with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Nadal played well against the 38th-ranked Tsonga, who had never gone beyond the fourth round in his four previous Grand Slams. But the Frenchman was virtually untouchable, smashing 17 aces against one of the best serve returners in the game.

He will face the winner of Friday's semifinal between top-ranked Roger Federer and No. 3 Novak Djokovic.

Nadal finished with just 12 unforced errors — four combined in the first two sets — while matching the fewest games he has won in a Grand Slam, against Andy Roddick at the 2004 U.S. Open.

Tsonga had 49 winners and didn't face any break points until the third set, when he saved three in one game to finish Nadal's final serious challenge.

"It's unbelievable, just amazing," Tsonga said. "Nothing can stop me today. It's like a dream. Every day is like a dream. I can't believe it's true."

On the women's side, fourth-ranked Ana Ivanovic staged a dramatic comeback, losing the first eight games before ousting No. 9 Daniela Hantuchova 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach her second Grand Slam final.

She will meet No. 5 Maria Sharapova, who was sharp again in overwhelming Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 6-1. Third-seeded Jankovic saw any hopes for her own rally ended by back pain.

While Nadal is popular, Tsonga has been adopted by the Melbourne Park fans for his go-for-broke style and outgoing personality. He frequently had them standing and cheering with his mix of power and an amazingly deft net game.

Nadal got a quick taste of what was ahead as Tsonga jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first. After watching one untouchable service return zip past, Nadal simply stared at him, almost in disbelief.

As three other seeded players already had learned here, this guy is for real.

Sharapova has shown focus and determination to get back to the women's final after losing to Serena Williams last year.

"You have your bad moments in your career and you have your good moments, and it's been a good ride so far," said the Russian, who has yet to drop a set in six matches and earlier ended No. 1 Justine Henin's 32-match winning streak. "But it's not over yet."

With Rod Laver Arena's roof closed due to a light rain, Jankovic looked anxious and tight. It didn't help that Sharapova, seeking her third Grand Slam title was whacking winners everywhere.

Jankovic fended off three set points while serving at 0-5 in the first set to take her first game, earning a big cheer from the crowd that included a strong presence from Melbourne's sizable Serbian community.

Sharapova, her high-pitched grunts sounding more like shrieks, just pounded the ball even harder, smacking an ace to set up her sixth set point, then getting to a drop shot for a clean winner.

Jankovic double-faulted three times as Sharapova broke to start the second set, then got treatment for lower back pain.

"I wanted to withdraw, but it was a semifinal," Jankovic said.

The second match started as a near-replay. Ivanovic said her fans helped her rally.

"If it wasn't for you guys, I would already be booking my flight back home," she told the crowd.

Ivanovic won only nine points in the first set.

"I think she didn't miss a ball," Ivanovic said of Hantuchova. "I just tried to tell myself that she can't keep up that level throughout the whole match. I knew I would get a chance at some point."

When Ivanovic finally held for her first game while already down 0-2 in the second set, the crowd erupted in cheers of sympathetic relief.

The small victory provided just what she needed — a jolt of confidence. She broke twice to even the match.

Hantuchova fended off a break point while serving at 4-4 in the third set and set herself up to save another with a drop volley. Ivanovic scrambled to keep it in play but was out of court when Hantuchova netted an easy volley.

Hantuchova wasn't sure what happened to her.

"If I knew that I think I would have changed it while I was still on the court," she said.