Tennis Anyone?

The height of Grand Slam season has arrived, so let the games begin! Roland Garros (for those of you not in the 'know', that's the French Open) is underway in lovely, yet rainy, Paris France; and here's my question for the season: Can he do it??? Roger Federer won the Australian back in January, but can he take the French, Wimbeldon, and the US Open? He won all three last year; but can he repeat?? As the only man to win three of the four majors twice (he won all three of the aforementioned tourneys in 2004 as well) I figure that there is only one thing that stands in his way...

Yes, that smiling handsome Spaniard on the right could be his undoing. Twenty-year-old Rafael Nadal, (aka 'The King of Clay'), beat Federer in the last two French Opens (the semis in '05 and the finals in '06) and could do it again if Federer allows himself to get wound up in the psychology of the whole thing. Like the greats Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras, The French Open is the only Grand Slam that Federer has never won. However, a win at the French this year would give him a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam as well as put him on a path for a possible Calendar Year Grand Slam. No, no pressure.

Here's something to think about though. During the last year, Federer and Nadal have competed on clay three times with the following results: The Masters Series Monte Carlo - Nadal beat Federer in the finals; Internazionali d'Italia - Nadal wins while Federer is knocked out in the third round; The Masters Series Hamburg - Federer beat Nadal in the finals. So, does the fresh win keep Federer's head above water, or does the pain of the last two years drown him in a sea of psychological angst? Looks like we'll have to wait and see; but my money's on Roger...