Federer to face Nadal again in French Open final
Sunday, 8 June 2008
PARIS, June 7 (AP): When Roger Federer had completed his latest French Open victory, he permitted himself a moment of jubilation. Then he leaned wearily on the net, shook his head at his good fortune and began to think about the final.
On Sunday, Federer will again try for the only Grand Slam title to elude him, and again the opponent will be his nemesis, Rafael Nadal.
It's the fourth consecutive year the world's best player has faced the world's best clay-court player at Roland Garros, and Federer is 0-3. The defeats have prevented him from becoming the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam events.
He'll try again, while Nadal attempts to become the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1981 to win four consecutive French Opens. "I will try and face history," Nadal said.
"I've been hoping for this to happen a few weeks and months," Federer said. "I'm where I want to be and I'm playing well, so it's a big, big thrill to play Rafa again in the final here." Nadal beat Federer in the semifinals in 2005, and in the final each of the past two years. Federer remains optimistic this time will be different.
"I feel better every year," he said. "It's no joke. I really do feel well. I'm fitter than ever, how you want to feel on clay. "Rafa has been sublime this tournament. He hasn't had any problems whatsoever. We have similar guys always at the very top, and we are testing each other over and over again.
"So I think it's very entertaining. Of course I believe. I believe very strongly that this is my year."
In the semifinals, Federer endured some worrisome moments before beating unseeded Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. Nadal's semifinal was close only by his standards: He nearly lost a set but beat No. 3-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Nadal had lost only three games in each of his previous two matches, and he has won all 18 sets in Paris this year. He graded his latest effort the best yet.
On Sunday, Federer will again try for the only Grand Slam title to elude him, and again the opponent will be his nemesis, Rafael Nadal.
It's the fourth consecutive year the world's best player has faced the world's best clay-court player at Roland Garros, and Federer is 0-3. The defeats have prevented him from becoming the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam events.
He'll try again, while Nadal attempts to become the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1981 to win four consecutive French Opens. "I will try and face history," Nadal said.
"I've been hoping for this to happen a few weeks and months," Federer said. "I'm where I want to be and I'm playing well, so it's a big, big thrill to play Rafa again in the final here." Nadal beat Federer in the semifinals in 2005, and in the final each of the past two years. Federer remains optimistic this time will be different.
"I feel better every year," he said. "It's no joke. I really do feel well. I'm fitter than ever, how you want to feel on clay. "Rafa has been sublime this tournament. He hasn't had any problems whatsoever. We have similar guys always at the very top, and we are testing each other over and over again.
"So I think it's very entertaining. Of course I believe. I believe very strongly that this is my year."
In the semifinals, Federer endured some worrisome moments before beating unseeded Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. Nadal's semifinal was close only by his standards: He nearly lost a set but beat No. 3-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Nadal had lost only three games in each of his previous two matches, and he has won all 18 sets in Paris this year. He graded his latest effort the best yet.