PARIS (AFP) - Former triple French Open champion Mats Wilander believes Rafael Nadal will emulate Bjorn Borg as a four-in-a-row Roland Garros champion and go on to surpass the great Swede's legacy.

Nadal faces Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals on Friday while top seed Roger Federer, who the Spaniard has defeated in the last two finals, faces France's Gael Monfils.

With a record of 26 wins in 26 matches here, Nadal is well on his way to beating Borg's streak of 28 victories in Paris as well as the Swede's total haul of six French Open titles.

"I think Rafa is going to win and it's going to be way closer than before. Novak and Roger will give him a hard time in the semi-finals and final but I think Rafa wins," said Wilander, the champion in 1982, 1985 and 1988.

"I think they (Nadal and Borg) are exactly the same. Rafael is as dominant as Bjorn and he's actually doing the same thing. In today's modern world that shouldn't be possible," Wilander told www.atptennis.com.

In his first five matches en route to the 2008 semifinals, Nadal has lost only 25 games.

Borg, who was the last player to win the title without losing a set in 1980, dropped 32 games in his seven matches in reaching the 1978 crown.

Nadal, only 22 years old, is 21-1 in career claycourt finals and he is ahead of Borg's pace of 30 claycourt titles.

"If Rafa keeps this up for another five years he will surpass Bjorn," said Wilander.

"Otherwise it's hard to surpass Borg. But he needs to keep it up to pass Borg. Bjorn didn't play that many tournaments but when he did he was dominant."