Obviously, Sunday is going to be massive again, with Nadal aiming to net a treble of RG titles and Federer looking to complete his set of slam titles (and hold them all simultaneously)

Opinions are welcome :D

I would love if it was a classic sort of like Rome ( ?)...last year when they went to 5...although I won't complain if Fed takes it in straight sets :P
Still I'm going Roger in 4.

Im going for Federer in 4...Him and his stupid walkabouts are always ever present.Im hoping though that he really is focused.
Once again theres so much expectation it may also just dissapoint!

I'm afraid i'm gonna be slightly sacreligious and go for Nadal in 4. I would dearly love to believe that Federer can do this, but I don't think he's been entirely convincing over the last 2 weeks, whereas Nadal has managed to destroy pretty much everyone he's played. Like dark said, Fed has these habits of having little walkabouts, which against someone like robredo might be ok, but against Nadal I just don't think he'll recover. Also, unless he improves his first serve % dramatically tomorrow, I think he's gonna have problems.

I hope he proves me wrong...... :unsure:

Agreed. Nadal in 4 is what I see.

However, I want to see Fed win in 5.

My brain says Nadal in 4, my gut instinct does too.

I hope I am wrong. If Fed is going to do it I think he must do it in 3 or 4 sets. If it gets to a fifth I see only one winner.

Someone voted Nadal in straights...that is playing in the back of my mind.You know we tend to hype up a match up that we all want badly and it dissapoints badly.That Nadal in straights is quite a reality!

Actually barry I think Federer can win it in 5. The only way he'll win is if he goes down 2 sets and starts playing aggressively like he did in Hamburg and everything goes in for him. He'll also need Nadal to be incredibly tired again.

Anyway, those are very big ifs which stand next to no chance of happening. Nadal looks fully fit and will win in straight sets.

I shall be back on Sunday evening to offer my commiserations to the Federer worshippers ;) :wave:

Rafa does look in good nick.

However, if there is one person that can beat him at RG, it is Roger.

It does remind me a little of the Wimbledon final last year, when people did wonder if Rafa could actually win it. He had beaten Fed a few times prior to that, both on clay and harcourt, and was now in Fed's backyard, challenging him in the one place where he is usually unbeatable.

Translate to RG 2007. Fed has beaten Rafa 3 of the last 4 times that they have played, including, crucially, a win on clay. Now Fed is back in Rafa's backyard again.

Usually i'd say that Fed plays to his potential, he can win any match. This may well be one match where this is not enough. He may well need Rafa's level to drop a little, and perhaps a bit of lady luck.

Again, this was what was said about Rafa's chances of winning SW19 last year! However, I think that Fed is closer to Rafa on clay than Rafa is to Fed on grass.

There is also the element of tactical play. What can Roger bring to the match that he learned from Hamburg?

As a Fed fan first and foremost, I am glad that he is in the final again. I shall back him to win it, although Rafa is favourite. I just hope that if Rafa wins that it isn't in straight sets. A 5 set thriller would be good. If Fed were to win in straight sets then that would be a surprise, but could come to terms with that ;)

There is what I think and what I am hoping for. Different things unfortunately. Witnessing one player, whose game I like, hold the 4 slams is one-time life time experience the way tennis has evolved.

Sampras, McEnroe, Edberg failed to win the French and despite the last 2 being very close , it seems Federer could be no different. However, his tennis on clay is very worthy of a French title. If Gaudio, Costa, Ferrero, Bruguera, Courir, Noah, and many others have done it, it would be "unfair" not to have him in this list. I do believe that against any other players past or present bar Nadal, he would have had his chance.

Federer is a very special player, for me the best ever, a win Sunday will certainly guarantee him this crown . But here we go, he is also facing the best claycourter and his challenge is simply scary.

Fed will need to be in "etat de grace" for 3 sets.....on clay!!!!

Can't wait!

I took the option of Fed in five because thats what I desperately want to see!

unfortunately, whilst I have voted with heart, head says its Nadal - the guy is clearly playing like he owns RG and I expect him to be on fire tomorrow - both guys will be pumped up for this but Nadal has shown the last two weeks that he sooo focused and completely on his game.. where Fed has seemed just a touch off.

But, you just never know :) can someone please remind me the time this will be on? I want to book the tv for tomorrow as I have had to contend with bloody live streaming all week!

I want Nadal to win in 3, but I think he will win in 4,

Hes been the best player by far this tournament and would be great to see him be only the second man to win 3 Frecnch Opens in a row.

Pebs, the match is 15:00 CET - I inagine that is 2 p.m. BST.

My predictions are always wrong (!), but I voted for Fed in 5. That is partly voting with the heart, altho if it were 100% heart I'd say Fed in straight sets. But I can't see Rafa letting that happen. (To be honest, I can't see Rafa letting Fed win, but I'm keeping quiet about that :D )

I voted Roger to win in four , and Ill be backing him to win . But Im preparing myself for the possibility that Nadal will be simply too good . A lot depends and Im not getting my hopes up too much this time .

Thats what I mean !

thanks hun :hug:

you and me both lovey!

I don't have a clue how it's going to end up, so I just voted what I would like to see, a classic five-setter with Fed coming out on top (maybe something like 12-10 in the fifth :)) to complete his collection of trophies.

Interesting results...Fed leads 10-8 but more people see Federer winning in 5 than Nadal, and also a couple of people see Nadal as capable of winning in straights whereas none think Federer can do this. Most people seem to think it will be a four set match.

fed in 5 :pray:

i'm going for Fed in 4, it probably wont be the classic everyone wants-they're previous encounters at the French havn't been great, but it will still be nerve tingling stuff either way.

Hmmm....I've jinxed the Swiss maestro by going for him to win in 4 sets.

On the one hand, Nadal has yet to drop a set at Roland Garros this year, and Federer has been far from convincing.

On the other hand, no-one has played *consistently brilliant* against Nadal this Roland Garros. Del Potro played great for nearly a whole set but then folded, Hewitt didn't turn up til the 3rd set, Djokovic played brilliant in patches but blew his chances on the big points. The claycourt win for Federer over Nadal was at Hamburg, on an atypical claycourt surface, but Federer had improved tactically and I believe had 'cracked the code to beat Nadal'.

Federer has to win the 1st set in my opinion, and even then, that may not be enough. Maybe just maybe he can win it though - he has to take his chances and avoid his customary losses of concentration...

I don't see Federer losing his concentration this time. I am sure he learnt that lesson when he punched that easy volley in the net at 40/0 up in that beginning of the second set. This is where Hamburg might be useful. He knows he can do it.

He has surprised us 100s of times. Winning tomorrow would be another great surprise....but a surprise!

Voted for Fed in 5 ,although I suppose realistically it could go Nadal's way in 3 or 4.I just hope to see a great match and not a let-down which damages tennis's reputation as a spectator sport.

I voted for Nafal in 4 sets (Federer taking the second set). In my heart I want Federer to win in 3 or 4 sets but cant see that happen. Nadal has simply been superb, demolishing every opponent he faced (In my opinion Fecerer had a tougher draw than Nadal as he had Nalbandian, Canas, Ferrero, Davydenko and robredo in his half) and federer's briliance has been in patches. To be fair, federer played well when he had to and has spent less time on court than Nadal. But Nadal is totally a different kettle of fish in the red clay of paris. The only encouraging sign for me is Federer has been vollying brilliantly this tournament. This works against other players but Nadals speed and stamina may make this weapon toothless.

If Federer can sort out his faulty first serve which I have never seen this bad.He has gone missing in an entire set in nearly all his matches.Needs to be above 60% every one of those 5 sets to have a chance.

The other factor is simply game style.Getting the balance between solid topspins and flat winners,because ending the rallys is Federer's way of winning.Nadal just only hits a handful of errors,due to his high percentage of height and spin.Federer has to be gutsy and tempt Nadal onto his forehand more as this is the shot that Nadal takes risks on.He won't miss many,but a few points here and there could really make the difference in a match this close.

The other thing is,will the weather be cool as this could throw a real spanner in the works.HOT,HOT,HOT and it's goodbye to Roger,with a high bounce.

My heart wants Roger to win so much as seeing another player like this again might be a very long time coming.My head tells me that Rafa has this in his hands.I think he will win in 5,as Federer certainly won't play as passively again.I believe the higher error count of Federer will just give the edge to Nadal,regardless of how Federer serves.

Very much agree with your post Brakkus. I however think that if it comes to the 5th set federer should win it.

Please Wise make one of your trashing federer previews and call your buddys Dr. And chet to they do the same.

Your previews allways gave good fortune to federer and jinx his opponents.

Come on Wise you can't do it

Please, please, please...

OK, real heart over head here - voted for Roger in 4. :pray: :pray: :pray:

nadal in straights