Nadal aware of Federer challenge

PARIS

This has not been an easy clay-court season for Rafael Nadal, who has to beat Roger Federer in Sunday's French Open final at Roland Garros if he is to maintain his No. 1 ranking. A loss to Federer would mean that Novak Djokovic, beaten by Federer in that fantastic semifinal on Friday, would take over.

Nadal could have no complaints if that happened because Djokovic has beaten him in four ATP Masters Series finals this year with two — Madrid and Rome — being played on clay, the surface on which Nadal has reigned supreme. We still do not know the full effect these losses have had on the Spaniard, but if his demeanor in the press conference he gave just before the women's final began is anything to go by, his recent struggles are taking their toll.

CLASSIC RIVALRY

 

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have given us plenty of historic moments over the years. Relive the matches.

 

Either Rafa was tired, bored or sad. Normally chatty and amusing, he answered every question patiently but with a flat tone in his voice and an expression that offered no signs of happiness. Players often put themselves in an uncommunicative zone before big matches and at least Nadal agreed to talk to the media which Federer did not. But I sensed this was something more than that. I hope I'm wrong.

It was not that Nadal did not know his facts as he was grilled on Federer's record and whether or not he was surprised at having to face him in the final.

"No surprise," he said. "You are more surprised than me, for sure. We know how good Roger is. Roger is having, in my opinion, a good season. He lost only against Novak in Australia, Dubai and Indian Wells; against me in Miami, against me in Madrid. Always there, in semifinals, finals, winning in Doha. So he's fantastic and no surprise for me. Always an honor to play against him, honor to play against the best player in history."

At this rate Nadal will be putting statisticians out of work. And he not only knows the facts — he watches when he can.

"Was fantastic match to watch yesterday," he said of Federer's win against Djokovic. "I had a lot of fun watching that match. After that match he must feel very confident, no? I know he is going to play aggressive against me. I have to try to play long, to play consistent all the time and to try to be aggressive when I have the chance."

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After two weeks of almost perfect weather, the forecast for Sunday is not good. But Nadal is not going to be concerned with that.

"For me I prefer sunshine always. My game is better if the ball is fast and bounces higher," Nadal said. "But seriously, I don't have power to control the weather, so if rain, I'm going to think that is an advantage for me; if sunshiny I'm going to think is advantage for me. I have to think positive all the time."

He may be thinking it, but he isn't looking it and we shall have to see what the five-time champion produces on court as he tries to equal Bjorn Borg record of six French Open titles.

For Federer, the occasion will be special because the man with a record 16 Grand Slam titles under his belt has not appeared in a Slam final since January 2010 in Australia.

"You just have to accept these things (the losses) and continue to work," he said after his victory over Djokovic. "It's sometimes difficult to play the perfect match. Now I have another opportunity to beat Rafa here and get the French Open title. I've got to play some extraordinarily special tennis. I'm aware of that. But obviously I took a huge step forward today and I hope I can get everything together for the final."

Given their love for the man, there seems little doubt that Federer will have the majority of the crowd behind him. They like style in Paris and has there ever been a more stylish player? He is not a natural extrovert on court like the hugely popular three-time champion Gustavo Kuerten, but he just does his thing and the crowd responds.

"No I don't do anything special to win their support," he says. "I think people know how much I love Roland Garros, how dear this tournament is to my heart. I think that's enough. But then, we all have our ways of expressing our emotions and it's good in tennis to see that people are different."

Federer and Nadal are very different. But they are good friends and great champions and, weather willing, Sunday should see another special day at Roland Garros as these two icons of the game meet for the fourth time in this clay-court final.