Rafael Nadal, the current world number 1 and undefeated at Roland Garros is an unbackable favourite for his fifth consecutive French Open this year. He is in remarkable form coming off his fifth straight Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open victories. Is there anyone who can beat this young 22 year old Spaniard, who is on course to become one of the greatest ever?
Rafael Nadal is someone who rises to the challenge, loves to fight and just loves a hard tennis contest. There has been nobody in recent times who is as mentally tough or as determined as the man known widely as Rafa. Roger Federer was on course to become the greatest ever and quickly haul in Pete Sampras' record of 14 grand slams. However, his run to the line has been severely hampered, due mainly to Nadal. I still expect that Federer will end up winning more titles than Sampras but the question is will Nadal eventually win more titles than Federer?
Nadal still has a long way to go having won 6 grand slam titles to Federer's 13. Will the 2009 French Open be Federer's breakthrough year? The French Open is the only title that elludes him and it is a title he wants so badly. However, with Nadal's rich vein of form, it does not look likely. Nadal in fact trounced Federer quite easily in the 2008 French Open final and it looks like the gap between the two is starting to widen. Nadal triumphed over Federer at Wimbledon 2008 to become the first man in years to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year (Sadly Federer was the runner up at both tournaments). He also beat Federer at the Australian Open earlier this year as well, after which Federer said it would take him a long time to overcome his loss.
When we look at the rest of the top 4 which are in a separate league to the rest of the top ten, Novac Djokovic and Andy Murray don't look like they will be able to topple Nadal on clay, although Djokovic pushed Nadal all the way at Monte Carlo.
So who will the new threat to Nadal be? That remains to be seen. The French Open has in the past been notorious for early round upsets as the more fancied top seeds get toppled by clay court specialists.
Looking at the rest of the top ten, Andy Roddick is probably the least fancied on clay and I'll be surprised if he lasts into the second week. Juan Martin del Potro recently beat Nadal at the Miami masters so he must be an outside chance and Fernando Verdasco pushed Nadal all the way in that epic semi final at the Australian Open this year. However, I believe that Nadal's greatest threat will come from the two French players in the top ten, Gilles Simon and even more so, Gael Monfils. Both players go for their shots and Monfils will definitely be able to match Nadal from a fitness perspective.
So the scene is set come May 24 for an amazing French Open. All eyes will be on Nadal and the pressure will never have been as great on the tennis iron man as it will be this year. He is expected to win but tennis is a funny game. Nadal has always shown amazing mental toughness so he is unlikely to have a bad game. Whoever beats Nadal will have to play out of their skin. Since 2005, only 4 men have had the illustrious honour of beating Nadal on clay - Gaston Gaudio, Igor Andreev, Roger Federer and Juan Carlos Ferrero, yet none look likely to challenge Nadal in 2009. So will 2009 be Nadal's fifth consecutive French Open? Or will a new threat emerge? Only time will tell...
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