Would be funny if Federer gets revenge for the last time and steals the record of Nadal to make his own. I hope to see heck of a fight! :D

If Nadal wins, he becomes the ONLY man to win 5 straight RG. If fed wins, he ties Sampras.

Ariel,

Funny for whom???????

It's funny to use funny and revenge in the same sentence. :-)

True danny. And I was ragged on and accused of not being a tennis fan just because I was honest and said I wanted this years final to be just like last years. Go figure!

f4t, you are not the only one who would like a repeat of last year's final. Wouldn't it be just great!!!!!!


RafaPower!!!!!!!!

fan4tennis -

It will still be a personal record for Federer, even if he only ties with Sampras in the History.

Carrie -

for many ppl it would be :P

danny -

lmao. xD

I doubt even Rafa himself wants another final like last year. Wouldn't Rafa at least want something a little more competitive with the same outcome, of course?

But......I am with Ariel on this one. Yes it will be bliss Ariel!!

We are speaking for ourselves and not attempting (lamely like you), to speak for Rafa. Not surprising that you would think (hope is a better word) Rafa would like it more competitive than last year since Rafa CRUSHED fed last year. fed winning 5 games this time around would be more competitive!

Gooooooooooooo RaaaaaaaaaaaaFFFFFaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

VAMOOOOOOOOOOOS RAAAAAAAAFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAA!!!

Take a powder FFT. I was speculating not speaking for anyone. Merely a query. I have no idea what any of them THINK. How would I know? It would SEEM however that Rafa being the champ he is might like more challenge that's all. xxoo

He is no different than Roger in the fact that BOTH men want to win! Rafa does not control in what shape, mental or physical, Roger shows up in. It's up to Roger to play better than last year, assuming both make the final.

Good point FFT, I give you that.

But....speculation only now...if, if you were Rafa ( and neither of us really have no clue what that would be) wouldn't you just hope for another contender in the final by now?

And here it does get "funny" just like Ariel used the word. So, its another Rafa/Roger final and Rafa just groans, rolls eyes... oh not him again. And....revenge is sweeeet!!

Yes, revenge can be sweet! We all saw it on Rafa's face after he beat Soderling recently! He really enjoyed that win!!

Uncle Toni recently gave an interview and said that Rafa loves to face Roger because he respects him, BUT he is there to do a job and that job is to win, no matter who his opponent is! Rafa himself has said repeatedly, RG starts with the first round, not the final, since no one can assume he will be in the final. He says that if you concentrate on playing good tennis, the rest (records, rankings, titles, etc..) take care of themselves.

Speculation only as you say: As far as a 'different' contender than Roger in the final (assuming both make it), it can't be Murray (same side of the draw), so it could be Nole and he has already played him twice in finals this clay season.

Well now. One can always count on Uncle Toni to be politically astute and give the right answer to the press but really, "loves to face Roger?" I can see how Rafa y Roger would genuinely respect each other and maybe in other tournaments face each other but gees, the RG final has been the same two enough already. I can see how Roger could like another chance but .....

You are very logical FFT and I am a goof who loves tennis, beginning with Federer. Now that you have brought me down, are you happy?

How hard was it for Rafa to beat Soderling?

True, Roger must go through Nole to get to Nadal, I have not lost that reality. And we can hope it is not too hot or windy that day and be thankful this is Paris not Madrid. LOL

I don't feel that I "brought you down" as you say. We just have different viewpoints is all. Everyone knows Rafa respects Roger and most people agree that they bring out the best tennis in each other. Why wouldn't someone want that?

With Soderling, it wasn't as much about being hard to beat but more of a message sent to Soderling for making fun of Rafa in their last match before that.

Yes, I try to be logical (many years on my job...is hard habit to break) but I am also a goof who loves tennis, beginning with Rafa--lol. Looks like we both agree about being thankful this is Paris and not Madrid--:)

rafa fans! you can ask rafa a guestion @rafa@timesonline.co.uk
he is also blogging from Paris!

Awesome! That's the way Rafa. Stay relaxed, stay fit and stay focused. Than.....snatch that straight 5th title!! :)

F4T and carrie, I'd be happy to see a repeat of the 2008 finals performance and RESULTS too! LOL!

Gooooooooooooooo Rogeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I doubt whether rafa will have any time to blog...he gonna be a little busy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ladies, nooooooooooo! I don't want a repeat of last year's results!!!

This time I want a double bagel and a breadstick! :-)

haha, at last the Pink Panther has come out to the open...ridiculous!!!

Saw Rafa play his first game today.........looked GREAT in pink!!!!!!...........and his game is on!!!!!........cant imagine what his game will be like as he greases his engine!!!!

Rafa was playing well, but we have to give credit to daniel... i was really impressed i think that it was good for Rafa to have to play against somebody with such motivation...you could see that Rafa was getting betteer and better... so it was good for him to have a semi-difficult much instead of an easy one...although i aged 20 years just watching him.... hahhahah Rafa to win!!!!! i dont care against whom he has to play... he is such a nice guy, he deserves it!!!! Roger is a great guy too, but RG is not going to be his!!!! :-) he can win it next year, but this year's all championships are Rafa's!!!! hahahah

SPOT ON FAN!!!!!!!! i personally feel that daniel was a relatively complete player today against rafa..........rafa was not at his best,many ue's...........but u have to praise daniel too...........i hope rafa gets better and better..........COME ON RAFAA.......U HAVE TO WIN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

VAAMOS RAFAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

Well, he didn't look so relaxed on court today which is only logical, the first match of a slam is always very tense and the crowd always favours the uderdog. (and they must be a bit tired of Nadal by now, hehe).
You can tell by the way Nadal left court that he wasn't so happy with the way he played altough, as always, he was his usual obliging self duly imprinting autographs in every possible object (he even reached down to pick up someone's pen when it was dropped on the ground.. what a great guy he is :))
About the pink shirt, personally I don't really care much, when I first heard about it it did seem to me as an excentric pic but..... it's allright. No matter what Nike comes up with Nadal always has final say so he wouldn't be wearing it if he didn't like it.
(I don't think I'll be buying one though)

well....daniel had a good match against rafa today.....i think he surprised himself just how good he did play.....nerves I think set in for rafa...too many UE's.....but am sure he will improve on that and get back on the practice courts tomorrow.


Roger...the same....seems the no.1 and no.2 are doing just enough to get through the early rounds.....and saving their energy for the final...where Rogerrrr gonna do it!!!!!!!!!! Gooooooooooooooo Rogggeeerrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

Wow malteser1, underpraising Roger?? As a neutral observer I thought Roger played rather well and Rafa looked vulnerable. What do other "neutrals" think?

deuce...really? Roger's serve was B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T but he sent too many mis fires down the line.....I think he felt the nerves...along with rafa.....but roger's game was solid as he got the rhythm...just at the start in his first game, where alberto broke serve immediately....honestly...have got to say....eurosports in comparison to sky sports is down a few levels...the commentating is really, really poor.....in fact...why is it that we cannot even access other games.....there's no red button.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! like there is at sky sports...at least when one match is finished you can move to another......eurosports seems a bit behind the times if you ask me..

but L-O-V-E-D roger's powder blue collared t shirt with a flash of red on the lapel to match the Nike tick on the head band....very hot!!!!!!!!!!!

Gooooooooo roggggeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!