in Paris at Roland Garros.
Luck of the draw by Peter Bodo at Tennis.com
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Rafa rides in a convertible in Paris
Thanks to Ines, a Rafa fan from www.rafaelnadal.com
for uploading the video and thanks to Bee, a Rafa fan for the translation:
Rafa: everything starts from zero, no? The important thing is to play well, the important thing is to get to Monday or Tuesday, which is when I am going to start, with good feelings and playing at my best level, if that is so I will have chances to have a good tournament, if not... it is going to be complicated.
Rosana: What is funny is that even the vintage car that drove Rafa Nadal around Paris is Spanish-Swiss, the same colours that have starred in the last finals of Roland Garros. Rafa visited again the places that year after year, now three, have welcomed him as the best tennis player of this tournament. So together with Carlos Costa, and his friend Tomeu Salvá they arrived at the Club for the draw selection. Later, almost without wanting to, Rafa was the innocent hand that decided that Virginia Ruano would play against Srebotnik, and Nuria Llagostera with Chakvetadze. Federer has as his first oppenent, Querrey. Djokovic in theory will cross paths with Nadal in semifinals. Guga Kuerten will play what could be his last match with Paul Henry Mathieu, and amongst the matches of the Spaniards, stands out the match between Robredo and Coria.
The last time that Rafa Nadal was here in Trocadero Square was to celebrate his third title, for this reason they call him in Paris "Rafael III". He now looks for his fourth, and the majority of players believe that he is the maximum favourite for the title.
What is not so certain are the things between the president of the Federation and the players. Jaime Lissavetsky continues is round of consultations hoping that the problem is resolved through dialogue.
For the best up-to-date Rafa news go to the Forum at www.rafaelnadal.com
"I Feel Like Other Years"
Nadal ready for the battle in Paris
'I try to keep focused, surrounded by my friends and my family'
Paris .- Rafael Nadal faces the assault to its fourth consecutive Roland Garros with the same confidence of previous years, either physically, and after one season on clay similar to the pasts seasons.
"I've changed the victory in Hamburg by Rome," recalled the player today at a press conference in which he expressed his satisfaction at having repeated a similar season to previous ones.
Nadal won the Masters Series in Monte Carlo and Hamburg and lost in Rome, where he had imposed in recent years, to which it joined the ATP victory in Barcelona. "I'm like other years, I have done the same season on clay. I only have a bit of disappointment at having lost in Rome," he said.
The Mallorcan claimed to have left behind the muscle problems he suffered in Hamburg and said that he faces the tournament in good physical condition. "In Hamburg I felt a puncture, but I have not felt it again. I am training well and I did not feel anything," said the tennis player.
Moreover, Nadal has prepared the tournament the same way as other seasons. "I try to keep focused, surrounded by my friends and my family, organize rest and maintain confidence as high as possible," he said.
It refused to be seen as the favorite against Roger Federer, the world number one who has crashed against the Mallorcan in Roland Garros. "It would be idiot to think that Federer is not a great player on clay with the results he have had," said the Mallorcan, who objected to consider him the favorite of the event.
He assured that all confrontations with the Swiss "have been very tight" and that there had been 'strange matches ,' but recalled that have been measured on 16 occasions, many of them in finals or late stages of competitions.
He also rejected any comparison with the Swedish Björn Borg, winner of four Roland Garros, or with the Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten, winner of three, which this year has returned to the circuit and that in Paris he will play the last match of his career. "I am not saying that I am the best nor I'm the worst, I do not like talking about me," said Nadal.
ROLAND GARROS Paris, France | |
| Nadal Begins Title Defense, Federer, Djokovic in Pursuit | |
© AFP/Getty Images | |
BIG 3 LEAD THE WAY The Top 3 players in the South African Airways ATP Rankings have dominated the first five and a-half months of the season, combining to win seven titles going into Roland Garros. Top-ranked Roger Federers lone title came in Estoril last month while he reached ATP Masters Series finals in Monte Carlo and Hamburg (l. to Nadal both times). No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Novak Djokovic lead the ATP circuit with three titles each, including two ATP Masters Series shields each. Djokovic won his first Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open in January (d. Tsonga). Federer has ranked No. 1 a record 225 consecutive weeks (as of May 19) since first taking over the top spot on Feb. 2, 2004 while Nadal has been a record No. 2 for 148 straight weeks since July 25, 2005. Djokovic has been No. 3 all but one week since July 9, 2007.
Tournament Profile: Roland Garros
THE WORLD NO. 1 Federer comes into Roland Garros as the top seed and as the world's No. 1 player for the 17th straight time in a Grand Slam tournament. His record Grand Slam finals reached streak of 10 came to an end in January when he lost in the semifinals to Djokovic at the Australian Open. He went 8-2 in finals during the streak, losing to Nadal in the last two Roland Garros championships. The 26-year-old finished last season No. 1 on the ATP circuit for the fourth straight year with eight titles in 12 finals, compiling a 68-9 match record. Federer enters Paris with a 26-7 match record, including 15-3 on clay (came in 24-4 last year, 10-2 on clay). His one title on the season coming into Paris is the fewest since 2001. Federer is making his 10th straight appearance at Roland Garros (26-9 record) and the last player to win in Paris for the first time with at least 10 attempts was Andre Agassi in 1999. He won in his 11th visit at age 29. On coming into Roland Garros after his 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 loss to Nadal in Hamburg on May 18, Federer said, For sure, it is a shame that I lost here. At the beginning I had the feeling that it could go fast. If I had won 6:1, I would have played up strongly. But you get over it and honestly, now the focus is already on Paris. It was a nice match and it wasnt funny to lose. Nevertheless, the focus is in Paris now.
ALL-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS Federer is tied for second all-time on the Grand Slam champions list:
W-L
1) Pete Sampras 14-4
2) Roger Federer 12-2
Roy Emerson 12-3
4) Bjorn Borg 11-5
Rod Laver 11-5
THE MISSING SLAM TITLE Federer is attempting to join an elite list of players who have won all four Grand Slam titles during their career: Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, and Andre Agassi. Other former greats who won three of the four except for Roland Garros: Arthur Ashe, Boris Becker, Jimmy Connors, Stefan Edberg, John Newcombe, and Pete Sampras. Agassi, who captured Roland Garros in 1999, is the last player to complete a career Grand Slam. The last player to win four straight Grand Slam titles was Laver in 1969.
JOINING THE GRAND SLAM TITLE CLUB History indicates a player is likely to capture his first career Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. In the Open Era, 21 players have notched their first Grand Slam crown in Paris, more than any other Grand Slam tournament. Of the past 19 winners since 1989 when Michael Chang captured his first and only Slam title, 12 claimed their first Slam crown in Paris, including Rafael Nadal in 2005. In addition, since 89, only three players (Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Yevgeny Kafelnikov) have won another different Grand Slam title other than Roland Garros.
GRAND SLAM SEMIFINALS STREAK -- World No. 3 Novak THE ROGER-RAFA RIVALRY -- Federer and Nadal have met the last three years in Paris with the Spaniard prevailing in the semifinals three years ago and the final the last two years. Nadal leads 10-6 lifetime against Federer, including 7-1 on clay. Nadal has finished No. 2 from 2005-07 and he is the first player to rank in that position for three consecutive years. Nadal has won both of this year's meetings in the final at ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo on Apr. 27 and ATP Masters Series Hamburg on May 18.. Federer (8) and Nadal (3) have accounted for 11 of the last 12 Grand Slam titles and 13 of the last 15 (except 2005 & '08 Aust. Open) going back to 2004 Wimbledon.
THREE-TIME WINNERS Nadal is attempting to become the third man (since 1925) to win at least four titles at Roland Garros. Here are the players with three or more titles: TOUGH TO BEAT IN FIVE Nadal enters Roland Garros undefeated in his career (34-0) in best of five set matches on clay. In fact, hes been extended to five sets only twice, defeating Guillermo Coria in the 2005 Rome final and Roger Federer in the 2006 Rome final (both 7-6 in the fifth). HEALTHY FIELD As of Friday, 48 of the Top 50 players were expected in the main draw. The withdrawals were No. 6 Andy Roddick (shoulder) and No. 37 Tommy Haas (shoulder). YOUNGEST, OLDEST IN MAIN DRAW French wild card Jonathan Eysseric, who turns 18 years old on Tuesday, is the youngest player in the main draw while Jonas Bjorkman, who is making his 15th straight showing at Roland Garros, is the oldest player at 36 years, 2 months. GUGA BIDS FAREWELL Three-time Roland Garros champion Gustavo Kuerten is playing in his last professional tournament in Paris and he takes on Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in the first round. The 31-year-old Brazilian has been hampered by injuries the last four years. Kuerten has a 36-7 career record in Paris, winning titles in 1997, 2000-01. He also compiled a 20-9 career mark in finals and is the only South American to finish No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings in 2000. FRENCH ANNIVERSARY It was 25 years ago that Yannick Noah captured the Roland Garros title in 1983 (d. Wilander). Noah is the only Frenchman to win a singles Grand Slam title in the Open Era. Henri Leconte reached the final at Roland Garros in 1988 (l. to Wilander) and is the last Frenchman to advance to the final since Noahs triumph. BRYANS ON A ROLL The No. 1 team in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race, Bob and Mike Bryan, have reached the final in their last three tournaments, winning in Barcelona and ATP Masters Series Rome while reaching the final at ATP Masters Series Hamburg. The Bryans have compiled a 35-9 record this season and are 3-5 in finals. They won their first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2003 and they have been finalists in 2005-06. The Bryans have a 5-7 career record in Grand Slam finals. ROLAND GARROS FLASH BACKS |
Djokovic has reached the semifinals or better in the last four Grand Slam tournaments. Last year at Roland Garros he advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal and followed with a semifinal showing at Wimbledon (l. to Nadal both times).. He then reached his Slam final at the US Open (l. to Federer) before breaking through to capture his first Slam title at the Australian Open (d. Tsonga) in January. Djokovic has an opportunity to reach the No. 2 ranking for the first time in his career. If Nadal loses before the quarterfinals, Djokovic will rank No. 2. There are other scenarios as well and updates will be available throughout the tournament. 
THREE-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION Rafael Nadal is trying to become the second player in the history of the French Championships (since 1925) to win four consecutive titles. Bjorn Borg won four straight years (1978-81) and six overall titles. The 21-year-old Spaniard (turns 22 on June 3) is undefeated in his career (21-0) at Roland Garros and he enters with a 15-1 clay court record on the season. Since the beginning of 2005 Monte Carlo in April 2005, Nadal has won an amazing 108 of 110 matches on clay, losing only to Federer in the final of ATP Masters Series Hamburg on May 20, 2007 and to countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round (bye) at ATP Masters Series Rome on May 7. Nadal has a career record of 21-1 in clay court finals. Last year Nadal set an Open Era record with 81 consecutive clay court match wins. Nadal said after his win in Hamburg, The most important thing is to win Hamburg, not the last tournament before Roland Garros. This tournament is very important, it was the only Masters Series I hadnt won on clay. Im happy for that, for sure that will give me more confidence for Roland Garros.
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