Mats: "Federer not scared"

And Mats believes that the signs are good for the world number one, after he has toughened up mentally since his last outing on the clay in Paris last year.

"He has improved an unbelievable amount since last years French Open, but I think maybe it's more in the mind than in the game," Mats said.

"And on clay the mind is probably more important than the actual game. He looks like he's having more fun this year, he is hitting the ball at least as well.

"I don't think he's worried about Nadal, I really believe that he thinks he's a better player than Nadal.

"He has all the tools to beat Nadal, and I don't think Roger Federer is scared of opposition."

Should top seed Federer win the one title that has so far eluded him during his illustrious career, the Swiss player will become just the sixth man in history to win all four Grand Slams.

Only five other men have achieved that incredible feat to date - Andre Agassi, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Fred Perry - and only a win for the world number one on Sunday will do if he is to elevate himself to those same heady heights.

The last man to have joined the exclusive club was Agassi, who completed the set with victory in Paris seven years ago.

"It hasn't happened for such a long time," said Federer. "To have created this opportunity, it's unbelievable."

Federer, who already bagged the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne back in January, has never contested a final at Roland Garros, but the 24-year-old is keen to add the French Open trophy to his cabinet.

A win for Federer would also make him just the third man in history to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time, after Laver and Budge.

"It would be something quite incredible," he added.

Standing in his way though is the only man who seems capable of beating the top seed at the moment - Federer's biggest rival of recent times and master of the clay.

The two have met twice so far on clay this year, the young Spaniard coming out on top both in Monte Carlo and in Rome, but Sunday will be their first meeting in a Grand Slam final.

"To play in our first Grand Slam final against each other," said Federer, "I think that it's quite special to have the number one and number two in the world."