RG Day 13- It Depends on What the Definition of "Is" Is

While the women have produced a few back-from-the-dead thrillers, the men's side hasn't exactly "popped" in Paris.

Of course, that means we get another Roger vs. Rafa final.  So why worry?

With Rafael Nadal's straight sets SF win over Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer's four-setter over Frenchman Gael Monfilson Day Thirteen, this Sunday we'll get the fifth grand slam final matchup over the past three seasons between the world's two best players.

It's been a long and winding season for both men, with neither getting into the champion's column in' 08 until the clay court season began.  While Nadal's slowly-building year wasn't highlighted, Federer's was used as evidence to prove that his days of dominance might be over.

Not so fast.  Whether it was the bout with mono that slowed Federer in the early months of the season, or the loss of conditioning that caused him to be not quite up to snuff, he seems to have found his footing in Europe during the clay season.

While he'll be a tremendous underdog against Nadal in the final (the Spaniard has yet to lose a set, and really hasn't even been truly challenged on that front, either), Federer seems to be right on schedule for his usual summer run.  He's come close in two clay losses to Nadal in Monte Carlo (7-5/7-5) and Hamburg (7-5/6-7/6-3), grabbing big leads only to be unable to put his opponent away.  2008 isn't likely the year Federer completes the career Grand Slam, but it still could be the season he ties Pete Sampras on the all-time slam title list.  He needs two, and he's surely looking good for Wimbledon with his recent form, and will surely be in the mix (with Djokovic, and maybe Andy Roddick) in New York... unless he wrings himself out trying to claim an elusive Gold in Beijing just weeks before the US Open.

The opening months of 2008 weren't a call for an epitaph to be written for Federer's position in the game.  In fact, they could turn out to be the natural calm before the continuation of the storm.  Come September, we could still be seeing Pete Sampras joining Federer on the court at Arthur Ashe as the "co-grand slam champions of all-time."

Federer still IS the best in the world.  Will his dominance ever again go nearly unquestioned as it so often has in recent seasons?  Probably not.... but it might depend on what your definition of "is" is.

Of course, winning in Paris against Nadal is another story.

** ** ** **

*GRAND SLAM FINALS - ACTIVE*
15...ROGER FEDERER (12-2)
6...RAFAEL NADAL (3-2)
4...Marat Safin (2-2)
4...Lleyton Hewitt (2-2)
4....Andy Roddick (1-3)

*CAREER SLAM S/D TITLES - ACTIVE*
12...Roger Federer
10...Mahesh Bhupathi
9...Jonas Bjorkman
9...Leander Paes
9...BOB BRYAN
7...Mike Bryan
7...Max Mirnyi

*MOST ATP MATCHUPS IN FINALS*
20...Ivan Lendl vs. John McEnroe
16...Andre Agassi vs. Pete Sampras
16...Boris Becker vs. Stefan Edberg
15...Jimmy Connors vs. John McEnroe
13...ROGER FEDERER vs. RAFAEL NADAL
13...Boris Becker vs. Ivan Lendl
12...Bjorn Borg vs. Jimmy Connors

*2008 ATP FINALS*
6...RAFAEL NADAL (3-2)
4...ROGER FEDERER (1-2)
3...Novak Djokovic (3-0)
3...Nikolay Davydenko (2-1)
3...Nicolas Almagro (2-1)

*ROGER vs. RAFA IN SLAM FINALS*
06 RG - Nadal  1-6/6-1/6-4/7-6
06 WI - Federer  6-0/7-6/6-7/6-3
07 RG - Nadal  6-3/4-6/6-3/6-4
07 WI - Federer  7-6/4-6/7-6/2-6/6-2
08 RG - ??

** ** ** **

All for now. 

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