Act VIII

ByEurosport

Published 09/07/2006 at 11:51 GMT

On any other surface it would have seemed a logical expectation, but on grass? Only few optimistics could have expected a Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal final at the start of the fortnight, but Wimbledon will end with the first grass court match of the new gr

TENNIS 2007 Wimbledon Rafael Nadal Roger Federer

Image credit: Eurosport

For the first time in the Open era, the Roland Garros finalists will play each other in the final at the All England Club in the same year. (You have to go back to 1952 -- the year Jaroslav Drobny and Frank Sedgman met in these respective slam finals -- to find the last time this double happened.)

Roger Federer's run to the final has come with little exertion -- somewhat surprising considering the difficulty of his draw.

TENNIS 2006 Wimbledon Federer R. - Henman T. 2nd round

Image credit: Reuters

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Through six rounds, the Swiss player has failed to drop a set.

"I took this tournament extremely serious from the beginning on," Federer said Saturday.

"I had no choice with the draw and everything. So I'm very pleased that I came through so convincingly.

"You know, never really reached a finals of any Grand Slam as easy as this Wimbledon, so I hope I can finish it off in style."

At the 2005 French Open, Nadal defeated Federer in semifinals. That was the last time the Swiss failed to reach a Grand Slam final.

His streak of five consecutive major finals is the longest in the Open era.

But his struggles against Nadal have been well-documented.

Nadal has defeated the Swiss four times this season, each time in a final.

TENNIS 2006 French Open Federer R. - Nadal R.

Image credit: dpa

Since 2004, Federer is 209-8 vs. everyone not named Nadal -- including 26-1 in finals. (His lone loss in a final came against David Nalbandian at the Masters Cup in 2005.)

However, against the Spaniard, Federer is 1-6 overall.

As for Nadal, he reaches his first Wimbledon final after dropping No. 18 Marcos Baghdatis in straight sets.

The World number 2 is the first reigning French Open champion to reach the Wimbledon final since Andre Agassi in 1999.

Without question, the King of Clay is now a player who must be taken seriously on grass.

TENNIS 2006 Wimbledon Nadal Nieminen

Image credit: Reuters

After fighting back from two sets down against Robert Kendrick in the second round, Nadal has not lost a set.

One can also look at the improvements in his service game; in the four matches since facing Kendrick in the second round, Nadal has not been broken.

Marcos Baghdatis failed on nine opportunities to break him in the semis. Nadal is also willing to attack the net -- 38 times against the Cypriot and winning 31 of those points.

Nadal is bidding to become the first Spaniard to win the title here since Manolo Santana in 1966.

If he wins, Nadal would become just fifth active player to have won at least one title on hard, clay and grass courts.

TENNIS Wimbledon 2006 Rafael Nadal

Image credit: EFE

Last month, Nadal extend his record clay-court win streak to 60 matches with a win over Federer in the final at Roland Garros.

Now Federer hopes it's his turn.

He brings his Open-era record 47-match grass-court win streak into Sunday's final. And he knows -- despite their history -- that grass is where he has the best opportunity to beat his rival.

TENNIS 2006 Wimbledon Federer R. - Berdych T.

Image credit: dpa

"I need to focus on me playing on grass, my style of play, playing aggressive," Federer said.

While there is no questioning Federer's superior grass-court tactics, a quicker Nadal has been able to take away his opponents ability to generate offense.

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