The Stage is Set Once Again

On the eve of the mens French Open Final, the tennis world is anxiously awaiting a rematch for the ages. The world's best all-around player, Roger Federer, will again meet the world's best clay courter, Rafael Nadal, in the championship match. Once again Federer enters holding the Wimbledon, Australian, and U.S. Open crowns. Once again Rafa has dominated the clay court season. And once again, it's about history.

A year ago I wrote about the significance of the potential Grand Slam. Last year Federer fell short in that pursuit, losing to Nadal 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the French Open final. Unperturbed, Federer won Wimbledon handily just a few weeks later. And after a solid hard court season, he won the U.S. Open as well.

As Federer has continued to dominate virtually everyone on the planet, the jungle drum of the sporting world has intensified in asking the ever-present question: Is Roger Federer the best player to ever play the game of tennis?

A great many people say yes. They say Federer is to tennis what Michael Jordan was to basketball or Tiger Woods is to golf. They say he can hit every shot in the book: a devastating forehand, stunningly versatile backhand, precise serve, crisp volleys, great touch, and infinite variety. He is graceful, fast, inventive, and dominant.

Further bolstering this argument is Federer's growing resume, most notably: 10 Grand Slam titles, 48 total singles titles, a 41 match win streak, ending the three previous years atop the rankings, and the most consecutive weeks ranked Number 1 ever (176 and counting).

But the French Open title has eluded Federer thus far. Twice in the past two years he has been defeated by Nadal at Roland Garros. Beginning at the 2005 French Open, the muscular Mallorcan left-hander has been simply unstoppable on clay, going unbeaten on the gritty, crushed red brick for almost three years while compiling an 81 match win streak.

Solidifying his Number 2 ranking, Rafa followed up last year's French Open title by making an improbable run to the Wimbledon final less than a month later. Nadal was playing so well that some thought that the Number 1 ranking might be up for grabs at the US Open. But he failed to win a tournament during the summer hard court season; meanwhile Federer cruised to the title in New York.

In the mind of the popular consciousness, it was then taken as fact that Roger Federer could beat anyone in the world on any surface except for Rafael Nadal on clay. After Federer slumped in the early going this year (he uncharacteristically lost four times without winning a tournament) and Nadal once again ruled the clay, few would have given Federer much of a shot at winning the French Open title. But on May 20th, Federer beat Nadal for the first time on clay in the Hamburg final; giving new hope to the Grand Slam dream.

There is little doubt that Federer is one of the greatest champions in the history of tennis. A French Open title would give him the career Grand Slam that eluded all-time greats Pete Sampras and John McEnroe. This French Open would give him all four Grand Slams at once--and open the door to the true calendar year Gran Slam. Should he win the French Open tomorrow, the sporting world will almost undoubtedly anoint him the "best ever".