Faz umas três semanas, logo que a edição 113 da Tennis View ficou pronta com Rafael Nadal na capa venho escutando de amigos, colegas jornalistas, fãs de tênis que deveríamos ter colocado o Novak Djokovic na capa em vez do espanhol

Expliquei que o sérvio havia estampado a capa na edição de dezembro/janeiro, com a conquista da Davis e que o Nadal é o atual campeão de Roland Garros e joga pelo hexacampeonato para igualar Bjorn Borg. Por isso, mesmo com Djokovic tendo vencido os últimos torneios, optamos pelo Nadal na capa, sabendo sempre que num Grand Slam tudo é diferente e como bem disse Mats Wilander logo no início da quinzena em Paris, Federer tem 16 títulos de Grand Slam, Nadal tem 9 e Djokovic apenas 2.  Isso faz diferença.

Nadal perdeu apenas um jogo em sete participações no Grand Slam francês. Ganhou cinco títulos e apesar de ter começado o torneio um pouco longe do seu ideal de confiança, disputando cinco sets com John Isner na primeira rodada, está na sua sexta final em Paris. Derrotou Andy Murray por 64 75 64 e no domingo desafiará Federer em mais uma decisão de Grand Slam. Será o nono confronto entre eles em finais de Grand Slam e o quarto em Paris, com Nadal vencendo as três.

Nesta sexta, o espanhol completou 25 anos de idade e após a vitória sobre Murray disse que vai comemorar bastante, afinal não é todo dia que se está em uma final de Grand Slam, especialmente depois do jeito que o torneio começou para ele.

“:  I was saying each week is different.  Each day is different.  Each time I’m here to answer your questions, I’m telling you the truth.  That is what I feel.  Each time I’m in front of you, I’m telling you the truth.

To start with, in the tournament I was not playing that well.  I was saying at the time, I have to change the situation, I have to have a better attitude, otherwise I could walk back home is what I said.

But, fortunately, things have changed for me, and I was very present on the crucial points.  It was positive for me, and I’m going to celebrate, because reaching the finals of Roland Garros is not something easy.

Well, you know, this is something that people would dream of, reaching the finals.  Nobody’s ever certain that they can reach the finals.  Today this is a dream come reality to me.  I’m really happy to be playing the finals for one of the most important tournaments in the world on clay, so I have all the reasons to be satisfied.

As you know I’ve had to overcome very difficult situations in the past one‑and‑a‑half weeks.  I have reached the finals, that’s true, and I’m very happy.

I had to forget about this type of anxiety or the fears I had something like two weeks ago, and now I have gained more confidence.  Well, during the first rounds, the first round, the second round, I was not feeling that confident.

I thought I shouldn’t lose any of these matches; otherwise my ranking is going to be impacted.  But now I have more confidence.  I think I fought for all the important points.  I have no fears concerning my ranking any longer.

It’s not going to go down, so to me this is a splendid year.  This is what counts.  This is what I’ll take away with me, what I remember, a very good year.

I’m really very satisfied.  Maybe I have had a few incidents, but apart from this I’m really, really happy.  The rest does not really matter.  I remember the positive sides.”

Federer parecia tão feliz quanto Nadal por estar na final. Derrotou Djokovic por 76 63 36 76 e tentará o bicampeonato em Paris depois de passar quase desapercebido durante as duas semanas na capital francesa. “Com toda atenção em cima do Djokovic e do Rafa nunca tive um Roland Garros tão tranquilo,” chegou a afirmar o suíço.

Wilander já havia dito em sua coluna no Jornal L’Equipe que Federer está jogando o melhor tênis no saibro da sua vida.

O próprio suíço, em entrevista ao mesmo jornal francês, antes de Roland Garros começar disse que preparou seu jogo no saibro e treinou duro com sua equipe por semanas seguidas. É, ele teve que ir atrás da concorrência e subiu seu nível de jogo para fazer uma das apresentações mais belas da sua história em Paris, como ele mesmo afirmou após a vitória.

Is this the best match you have played in the year 2011?

ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah.  I would think so, yeah.  I hope it was, because I thought it was played at a very high level for a very long time.

I can only talk about myself, but I thought I did really well today.  It was a tough start, really, where I was able to break.  There was break backs, because that’s kind of how we play against each other.  It’s so intense and he’s such a good return player that I always know he’s got something in his racquet to really break me, as well.

I really wanted to make it as physical as possible, which I was able to make it happen.  I think the end of the first and beginning of the second set was key to, you know, the outcome almost in the fourth set.

So I was really happy the way I played.  I thought at the end it was also quite mental, you know, both of us know that whoever is going to win the set, either it’s over or we have to come back tomorrow, which makes it more tricky.

So for this reason obviously I’m somewhat relieved that I don’t have to come back tomorrow, even that would have been no problem.  I thought it was a great match from both sides, really.

I said it earlier, I wasn’t here to spoil the party.  I mean, just trying to put in a good match and trying to get to the French Open finals, which I’m now obviously happy I’m able to.

But almost feels somewhat like I’ve won the tournament, which is not the case, you know.  Silverware is still out there to be won, and I’m looking forward to the match with Rafa, which I guess is my true rival for the last ‑‑ all those years, you know, since he became world No. 1.”

Se serve de consolo para Djokovic, que jogava para alcançar o posto de número um do mundo e quebrar o recorde de vitórias seguidas, Federer tinha o que dizer para ele: .  I told him at the net as well.  I said I think his record speaks for itself, how great he’s played already this season, and it’s not even over yet.  He can still achieve so much more this year.

And, yeah, I thought we played some great tennis.  The way the crowd got into it, as well, towards the end of the match, I mean, the way they back me here in Paris is just an amazing feeling.  So obviously I know I’m very privileged to live this in my career.

Alguns números da final:

ATP rankings update

Rafael Nadal can retain his world No. 1 ranking if he wins the title here. If Nadal fails to win the title, Novak Djokovic will overtake him as No. 1 when the ATP World Tour Rankings are released on Monday 6 June.

Tracking the rivalry…

Today marks the 19th Federer v Nadal tournament final, moving them into 2nd place for the most meetings in a final in the Open Era. Nadal has a 45-17 win-loss record in finals, Federer 67-29.

Nadal and Federer go head-to-head for the 8th time in a Grand Slam final, extending their record for the most meetings between 2 players in a Grand Slam final.

Grand Slam Final match-ups (all-time)

2011 leaders

Nadal has the most wins in the men’s game this year, having overtaken Novak Djokovic at the top of the leader board after his semifinal victory here. Federer is in 3rd place after ending Djokovic’s 41-match winning streak in 2011.

Most wins in 2011

Rafael Nadal 42-6

Novak Djokovic 41-1

Roger Federer 34-7

Robin Soderling 32-8

Nicolas Almagro 31-10

David Ferrer 31-10

Nadal going for 6

Nadal is bidding to become just the second man in history to win 6 titles here, after Bjorn Borg who won 6 times between 1974 and 1981. Borg won his 6th title on his 8th appearance at Roland Garros, while Nadal is hoping to win his 6th title on his 7th appearance here.

Roland Garros title leaders

Bjorn Borg 6 (1974-75, 1978-81)

Rafael Nadal 5 (2005-08, 2010)

Henri Cochet 4 (1926, 1928, 1930, 1932)

Head-to-head: Nadal leads 16-8

2004            AMS Miami                        Hard (O)            R32            Nadal                        63 63

2005            AMS Miami                        Hard (O)            FR            Federer                        26 67(4) 76(5) 63 61

2005             Roland Garros                        Clay (O)            SF            Nadal                        63 46 64 63

2006             Dubai                                    Hard (O)            FR            Nadal                        26 64 64

2006            AMS Monte Carlo            Clay(O)                        FR            Nadal                        62 67(2) 63 76(5)

2006            AMS Rome                        Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                        67(0) 76(5) 64 26 76(5)

2006            Roland Garros                        Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                         16 61 64 76(4)

2006            Wimbledon                        Grass (O)            FR            Federer            60 76(5) 67(2) 63

2006            Tennis Masters Cup            Hard (I)                        SF            Federer                        64 75

2007            AMS Monte Carlo            Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                        64 64

2007            AMS Hamburg                        Clay (O)            FR            Federer                        26 62 60

2007            Roland Garros                        Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                        63 46 63 64

2007             Wimbledon                        Grass (O)            FR            Federer            76(7) 46 76(3) 26 62

2007             Tennis Masters Cup            Hard (I)                        SF            Federer                        64 61

2008            AMS Monte Carlo            Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                        75 75

2008            AMS Hamburg                        Clay(O)                        FR            Nadal                        75 67(3) 63

2008            Roland Garros                        Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                        61 63 60

2008            Wimbledon                        Grass (O)            FR            Nadal                        64 64 67(5) 67(8) 97

2009            Australian Open            Hard (O)            FR            Nadal                        75 36 76(3) 36 62

2009            Madrid-1000                        Clay (O)            FR            Federer                        64 64

2010            Madrid-1000                        Clay (O)            FR            Nadal                        64 76(5)

2010            ATP World Tour Finals            Hard (I)                        FR            Federer                        63 36 61

2011            Miami-1000                        Hard (O)            SF            Nadal                        63 62

2011            Madrid-1000                        Clay (O)            SF            Nadal                        57 61 63

This is the pair’s first meeting at a Grand Slam since the 2009 Australian Open final. The last time they met at Roland Garros was in 2008 when Nadal was responsible for Federer’s worst ever defeat in terms of games won in the most one-sided Roland Garros final since 1977. Federer also lost a set 60 for the 1st time since 1999. Federer has taken 3 sets off the Spaniard in 4 previous meetings here.

Nadal is one of just 2 active players who have had more than one career meeting with Federer to hold a winning head-to-head, the other is Andy Murray (8-6).

NADAL v FEDERER

25^            Age 29

6’1”/1.85m            Height 6’1”/1.85m

1            ATP Ranking 3

40,052,402            Career Earnings (US$)* 62,497,310

2,656,239            2011 Earnings (US$)* 1,436,951

45            Career Titles 67

2            2011 Titles 1

130-18            Career Grand Slam Record 219-31

9 Grand Slam titles            Best Grand Slam Result 16 Grand Slam titles

44-1            Roland Garros Record 49-11

514-107            Career Record 777-181

226-18            Career Record – Clay 163-49

42-6            2011 Record 34-7

23-2            2011 Record – Clay 12-3

15-3            Career Five-Set Record 18-14

3            Comebacks from 0-2 Down 6

124-80            Career Tiebreak Record 299-152

5-4            2011 Tiebreak Record 13-4

*Earnings as at 23 May 2011

^Nadal turned 25 on 3 June 2011

Fotos de Cynthia Lum