Top-ranked Novak Djokovic is now just one match away from joining tennis legend Rod Laver as the only two players on the ATP Tour in the Open era to hold all of the four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously. However, this impressive feat has to be earned the hard way – that is – he has to beat a six-time Grand Slam champion in this event.
Djokovic will face Rafael Nadal at the Roland Garros 2012 final on Sunday and the latter has a record to achieve as well. Nadal is aiming to set a new record of the most number of French Open titles won at seven, breaking the tie that he currently has with Bjorn Borg at 6.
The top-ranked Serb, who has beaten Nadal in three consecutive Grand Slam title matches, admits that he’ll be the underdog in the upcoming title match because Nadal has virtually owned the event – with a 51-1 win loss record in Paris. The only loss Nadal had in this event was in 2009, where he lost to Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals.
“It’s going to be quite different on Sunday because this is a different surface. [They are] different circumstances. [Nadal] always plays his best here at Roland Garros, and so I expect to do that as well on Sunday. I know that I have to be playing consistently well on very high level in order to win a best of five [match] against Nadal here. It’s an ultimate challenge,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic had won all the matches against Nadal in 2011, all in title matches. The winning streak ended during the claycourt season where he lost to Nadal in Monte Carlo and Rome, all in claycourt surfaces, which would make Nadal a favorite to win the claycourt Slam final on Sunday.
Watch the Djokovic vs Nadal Men’s Singles Final Match HERE.
