They meet again
PARIS – Roger Federer watched one more shot by one more opponent miss its mark, then released a guttural yell and shook his fist, a tad relieved to have won when he was close to his worst.
His three-hour struggle of a French Open semifinal was over Friday, and Federer knew at that moment he was again one more victory from the only major championship to elude him, one more victory from a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title.
Next up are the match and the opponent that matter most: a French Open final against his nemesis, two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal.
For the third time in the past five Grand Slam finals, it’ll be Roger vs. Rafa, No. 1 vs. No. 2. With so much at stake.
“I’ve put myself in position,” Federer said after erasing deficits in every set to beat No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 7-5, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7) and reach his eighth consecutive Grand Slam final, breaking a record established in 1934. “Now I just have one match to go. So hopefully, I can do it this year.”
Standing in the way on the clay is Nadal, who holds a 7-4 career edge over Federer, including 5-1 on the slow, red surface.
The Spaniard is hoping to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1978-81 to win three straight French Opens. Nadal improved to 20-0 at Roland Garros by eliminating No. 6 Novak Djokovic of Serbia 7-5, 6-4, 6-2.
Federer dominates everywhere but Paris. He’s won a total of 10 titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open, but he’s always come up short at Roland Garros, including losses to Nadal in the semifinals in 2005 and the final last year.
But win Sunday, and Federer becomes only the sixth man with a career Grand Slam, and the first man in nearly 40 years to win four majors in a row. It wouldn’t be a true Grand Slam – winning all four majors in a calendar year, accomplished by Don Budge in 1938 and by Rod Laver in 1962 and 1969 – but call it a “Roger Slam,” akin to the “Tiger Slam” that Tiger Woods fashioned with four straight golf majors across 2000-01.
Both Nadal and Federer said the other should be considered the favorite. Both quickly followed up with the phrase, “Anything can happen.”
Federer’s lone victory over Nadal on clay came in their most recent encounter, last month’s Hamburg Masters final.
That ended Nadal’s record 81-match winning streak on the surface.
“If I arrive on Sunday, and I don’t play a very, very, very good match, I’m going to lose for sure,” said Nadal, who lost to Federer in last year’s Wimbledon final and is always quick to remind everyone which of the two is ranked No. 1.