Nadal shrugs off talk of world's best

PARIS: Rafael Nadal insists his standing as the world's second best player is accurate, but many who witnessed his French Open humiliation of Roger Federer believe the king's crown sits on the wrong head.

The Spaniard's 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 win took him alongside Bjorn Borg as the only man to achieve four successive Roland Garros titles.

His win over the top seed was the shortest final in 27 years and the most comprehensive since Guillermo Vilas gave up just three games in 1977 against Brian Gottfried.

It was also the 22-year-old's 11th win in 17 meetings with Federer and his ninth in 10 on clay.

Furthermore, the French Open mauling will only serve to crank up the pressure on Federer when he defends the Wimbledon title he has won for the last five years.

In his present insecurity, Federer will remember only too well how close Nadal came to snatching his All England Club crown in their epic five-set final in 2007.

But when it comes to rankings and reputation, Nadal believes that Federer, who lost his Australian Open title this year and whose one trophy came via an injury default in Estoril, deserves to be still considered as the top player.

"I feel like No 2, because I am. I am No 2, and closer to the No 3 than the No 1," said Nadal, ever wary of the growing threat from Novak Djokovic.

"But I am playing at a very good level. I am No 1 in the race (the annual rankings). That's true, so that's important."

Federer's third successive defeat in the Roland Garros final to Nadal was the worst of his career.

Tellingly, the 22-year-old Spaniard avoided his traditional roll of celebration on the red clay of Court Philippe Chatrier at the moment of victory.

"It was tough for Roger and I have to be respectful with one very good guy," said Nadal of a man who, with his 27th birthday just around the corner, is running out of time to claim an elusive French Open to add to his 12 Grand Slam titles.

"Roger is too good for that be a very important loss for him. For sure, it's not easy to lose a Grand Slam final. I lost the final at Wimbledon and that was very tough."

Nadal had chances to break Federer in a nerve-tingling final set in last year's Wimbledon final.

Many believe that with solid practice under his belt at Queen's Club this week, the Mallorcan could go on to become the first Spaniard since Manuel Santana in 1966 to win the Wimbledon men's title.

"I'm not saying I'm getting close to him on grass. It's difficult to say that especially when I only work and play on grass for three weeks of the year," added Nadal.

"I need to go through the first rounds and then you start realizing that you can play well."

AFP

(China Daily 06/11/2008 page22)