PARIS: Rafael Nadal believes his game is almost perfect as he targets an historic fifth successive French Open title.
The 22-year-old world No. 1, whose incredible Roland Garros record stands at 28 wins from 28 matches, has already written off losing his 33-match claycourt streak to old rival Roger Federer in Madrid last week.
He believes a combination of a draining four-hour semi-final victory over Novak Djokovic and the high altitude of the Spanish capital conspired against him.
“I am very happy with my claycourt season. I won in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and made the final in Madrid. It’s almost perfect,” said Nadal, the top seed.
“Madrid was a different tournament. The court was fast, the balls were flying and I didn’t play that well.” Adding to his confidence is the knowledge that he has beaten Federer in the last three finals at Roland Garros.
Federer, who is one title short of matching Pete Sampras’s all-time mark of 14 majors, needs a French Open to become only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam.
But he’s traveled this road before.
Two years ago, Federer ended Nadal’s 81-match winning streak on clay at Hamburg to instill fresh confidence of finally cracking the French code, but he was to be denied once the duo resumed hostilities in Paris.
On the evidence of the 2008 tournament, where Nadal didn’t drop a set in seven matches and Federer won just four games in a brutally one-sided final, the Swiss star again looks doomed.
But Federer refuses to concede defeat, believing that his win in Madrid, which was his 58th title, but first of 2009, could represent another launch pad.
“He has never lost in Paris so obviously his confidence is very high, but I think we have seen that if you play Rafa the right way there are chances,” said the 27-year-old, world No. 2.
Their rivalry is one of sports’ most compelling with Nadal having dethroned Federer as Wimbledon champion in an epic final in 2008 before the Spaniard reduced the Swiss to a tearful wreck after victory in Australia this year in another five-set thriller.
In the unlikely event of the June 7 final not being a repeat of the last three, Djokovic, who had three match points against Nadal in his Madrid semifinal, would be the most likely beneficiary.
But the big-hearted Serbian, who turned 22 on Friday, has lost all nine claycourt meetings with Nadal, including four in 2009 — in Davis Cup, Monte-Carlo, Rome and then in Spain.
Djokovic has reached the semifinals in Paris for the last two years, losing to Nadal on each occasion without claiming a set.
“It’s not that easy. I probably played one of the best matches of my life against him (in Madrid), but he made some unbelievable shots to win those points which he did - again,” sighed the Serbian.
Britain’s Andy Murray has lost both his claycourt meetings with Nadal and despite holding a 6-2 advantage over Federer, the two have never met on clay.
In two visits to the French Open, Murray has yet to get beyond the third round.But he is confident he can make a deep run into the event.
Nadal faces a qualifier in his first match before a possible third round clash with Australian former world number one Lleyton Hewitt.
Federer opens against Spain’s Alberto Montanes with old American rival Andy Roddick seeded to face him in the last eight.
Third seeded Murray renews his fierce rivalry with Argentinians when he meets Juan Ignacio Chela, while fourth seed Djokovic faces experienced Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador.
If the seeding works to plan, then Nadal would face Murray in the semifinals while Djokovic would take on Federer.
No favorite
Women’s defending champion Ana Ivanovic has won just a minor European title since her trophy a year ago, which she won against over Dinara Safina.
The Serb did not play Madrid with a knee problems but her camp says she will be ready for her first Grand Slam title defense.
In the meantime, Safina has soared to the No. 1 ranking, winning on clay in Rome and Madrid and riding the momentum.
Maria Sharapova will be back with a protected ranking after the three-time Grand Slam winner returned from nine months away due to shoulder problems only this week in Warsaw.
Serena Williams holds the second ranking but it’s questionable how far the American can go after playing recently with thigh and knee injuries and losing all three of her three scant matches on clay, her last a pullout after the first set in Madrid.
