French Open 2011 : Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal - The odds.

ay! Where's Roger?

Novak Djokovic is on a 37-0 record winning streak. Novak Djokovic has beaten Rafael Nadal twice in a small space of time with ease on clay and Novak Djokovic is tantallizingle close to the numero uno position in World Tennis. Following the line of argument, Novak Djokovic should win the French Open this year.However, its easier said than done.

For a great period of time now, Roger Federer has been the competitor when he has come to play on clay against Nadal. Even when he was the undisputed champion, he came to Roland Garros as a second. SUch has been the kingship of Rafael Nadal at clay. He has been beaten before in tournaments leading up to the grand slam but he has not given up his supremacy when the odds were against him. Like he did not in 2007 when Federer was in the peak of his form and defeated Nadal like Djokovic has this time, before the grand slam. However, cometh the hour, cometh the man. The saying goes for Rafael Nadal more than anybody else.

It is an altogether diferent thing that I believe that Djokovic will be more troubling than Federer. The Serbian has developed his power with time and his play closer to the nets is much better. The great thing with Djokovicis that he has not given Nadal the opportunity to take the game into the third set so often. However, this might only go against his favor. We know how these finals with Nadal can be humongous (recall WImbledon final against Roger Federer 2008), and there Nadal is the last man you want to be facing with unbelievable amounts of stamina to fall upon. There is just no point in time when he will stop trying.

Will Djokovic be able to match that stamina in a pressure final against Rafael Nadal? That may be the question that settles it all. We may see a new champion emerge out of the French Open this time, but the fact is it’s not going too be as easy as they are making it sound to be.