Rafael Nadal can become the first man to win the same Grand Slam title eight times at the French Open with few willing to risk talking down the rejuvenated Spaniard's chances. Having pulled clear of Bjorn Borg's record of six wins at Roland Garros with a seventh championship in 2012, the 26-year-old has already confounded the critics who had written him off during a seventh-month injury absence.
Since his return to the tour in February, Nadal has shaken off the heartbreak of missing the Olympics, as well as the US and Australian Opens, to collect six titles from eight finals. Super-charged by that astonishing run, Nadal now has the opportunity to genuinely confirm himself as one of the greats of the sport. No man has ever collected more than seven titles at the same major. Roy Emerson, with six, is the Australian Open's most successful while William Renshaw, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer all triumphed at Wimbledon seven times each.
In 2013, Nadal may have lost his Monte Carlo Masters title to world number one Novak Djokovic after an eight-year monopoly, but he swept to victory on clay in Madrid and Rome where he allowed Federer just four games in the final. He is on a 15-match winning streak and being seeded three at Roland Garros this year after the withdrawal of Andy Murray makes Friday's draw compulsive viewing.
But Federer, with his 32nd birthday fast approaching, heads to Paris not having won a trophy in the year for the first time since 2000. Not that his confidence has been dented. "I am playing well and I am healthy, so I have everything to play for next week," said the Swiss.
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