World ready for Nadal-Federer clash at French Open
The second tennis Grand Slam of the year begins this week, as the focus of the racket sporting world shifts firmly onto Roland Garros in Paris for the French Open. The clay court event is in many ways as distinguishable as Wimbledon, and there is certainly no questioning its validity as a top ranking Championship.
As tennis followers will be aware, the art of the clay court game is detached from that needed for success on the grass or hard courts. It is perhaps more like a roguish step sibling to them; in the same family but possessing very different attributes and a personality all of its own.
Countless players have found the surface as the key to remaining solvent in the ultra competitive world of Pro tennis, while countless more have struggled to master its intricacies despite being fully established with a seat at the top table of tennis greats.
The most obvious example that springs to mind is Pete Sampras, the man who won thirteen Grand Slam titles and dominated the sport for more than a decade, but could never conquer Roland Garros.
Whilst Roger Federer would dearly love to claim the 13 titles of Sampras, and he seems well on his way, he would badly love to avoid the same distinction of having never taken the French Open and he still waits for his first triumph. His game is more multi dimensional than Sampras`s was, and the Swiss world number one has only actually lost three times all season, and twice on clay
The big problem looking likely to hinder Federer’s ability to surge to glory comes in the shape of 19 year old Spaniard, and defending champion, Rafael Nadal. All three of Feds losses this term have come at the hands of Nadal who broke Guillermo Vilas`s record for consecutive clay court wins by taking the ATP Masters Series event in Rome a fortnight ago. And yes, the man he beat in the final to make it 54 straight wins was Federer.
The Spaniard also has the achievement of being the only man to have beaten him on a hard court all season, a result claimed when winning the title in Dubai, and so there is a growing argument for stating his all court ability as a rival to Federers.
The Rome title was Nadal`s third in as many outings, and his fourth of seven during 2006.
Both times that these two colossuses have appeared in the same clay tournament this season (in Rome and Monte Carlo), they have contested the final, something reflected in the extraordinary state of the odds for this event. Nadal is available at a best of 4/5 with Sports Interaction.
Whiles Nicolas Almagro (Valencia) and David Nalbandian (Estoril) have won good events on clay over the past month or so, neither has had to overcome the hurdle of Nadal or Federer. In fact, as mentioned above, but worth reiterating, nobody has overcome Nadal for 54 matches, and the only man to have overcome Federer, is Nadal.
For those looking for the ever attractive value bet at a longer price, we simply do not see how it can be advisable to back any other man than one of these two. The bookies offer few variations on the markets, and only pay out for a place in the final. As these two are at the upper and lower extremities of the draw, there is no reason why they should not make it all the way to the conclusion on 11th June.
To compound this, we see any money going directly on Federer as a foolish investment. Nadal is the closest thing to unbeatable that has ever been seen on clay, and as such a price of just short of Evens strikes us as a little generous.
Skeptics will point to the fact that any Grand Slam, and especially the French requires a monumental effort incomparable to winning at other regular tournaments on the schedule, but this man is supremely fit, and proved that the mettle and stamina are in place when claiming the title twelve months ago.
To back Nadal outright is the best bet. Federer is likely to make the final but to take him each way, and only take half of the 15/8 would be to lose out if in comparison to a wager on Nadal, as we feel is very probable his challenge is thwarted at the last stage.
To sum up, there will be several marathon matches and many pulverized players gracing the courts at Roland Garros over the next two weeks, but when the red dust settles there is one man who will be left standing as champion, and that will be Raphael Nadal. We cannot see any argument against his superiority and fully expect a payout, even if it does come at marginal odds against.
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French Open Tips: Nadal to beat Federer once again.Â
