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http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/french07/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=2883446
June 1, 2007, 2:33 PM ET
PARIS -- They've been playing the French Open here since 1925, and only one man has managed to win three straight titles.
No, fans of fashion, it's not Rene "The Crocodile" Lacoste.
Bjorn Borg played the event eight times between 1973-81, and took home the silver trophy six times, including four straight, from 1978-81. Rafael Nadal, the two-time defending champion, is attempting to become the second man to three-peat.
Guess who Borg likes to win this year?
"I know that a lot of people think that Rafa is still the big favorite, but I disagree," he told London's Daily Telegraph. "I am going to pick Roger as the winner. I watched the first match of the tournament on television, and he looked really sharp, he was playing some fantastic tennis, and I think it would be great for the sport if Roger won this year and beat Rafa."
Federer, the reigning Australian Open champion, has never won the French Open, but after beating Nadal for the first time on clay two weeks ago in Hamburg, Germany, he has a chance to make some history. Borg, who won Roland Garros and Wimbledon from 1978-80, never gave himself much of a chance at the Slam because he only played the Australian Open once.
"Nadal definitely has a chance to equal my record of six titles, and maybe even go past it," Borg said to the Telegraph. "He is still so young, just 20, so he has many years ahead of him. I see a lot of similarities between myself and Rafa on clay. You can compare us both mentally and physically. My opponents knew when they went out on the court with me that they would have to be out there for a long time if they wanted to try to defeat me, and that's no different with Rafa now."
Federer, the No. 1 seed, defeated Italian Potito Starace 6-2, 6-3, 6-0 on Friday. It was his first relatively normal match here after seeing his first-round contest split over two days because of rain; it rained constantly throughout his second-round match. Still, Federer has yet to lose a set here. He advanced to the round of 16, where he'll play Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who defeated 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in four sets.
In nine career matches against Federer, Youzhny has won all of two sets. His breakthrough came at last year's U.S. Open, when he defeated Nadal in the quarterfinals and lost to Andy Roddick in a four-set semifinal match.
"He's always been very famous for playing exceptionally well in practice, but for some reason couldn't tie it really together in a match situation," Federer said. "He usually also plays better against the better players.
"So I have to definitely be careful."
Nadal meets fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes, the No. 25 seed, on Saturday to secure his spot in the round of 16.
June 1, 2007, 2:33 PM ET
PARIS -- They've been playing the French Open here since 1925, and only one man has managed to win three straight titles.
No, fans of fashion, it's not Rene "The Crocodile" Lacoste.
Bjorn Borg played the event eight times between 1973-81, and took home the silver trophy six times, including four straight, from 1978-81. Rafael Nadal, the two-time defending champion, is attempting to become the second man to three-peat.
Guess who Borg likes to win this year?
"I know that a lot of people think that Rafa is still the big favorite, but I disagree," he told London's Daily Telegraph. "I am going to pick Roger as the winner. I watched the first match of the tournament on television, and he looked really sharp, he was playing some fantastic tennis, and I think it would be great for the sport if Roger won this year and beat Rafa."
Federer, the reigning Australian Open champion, has never won the French Open, but after beating Nadal for the first time on clay two weeks ago in Hamburg, Germany, he has a chance to make some history. Borg, who won Roland Garros and Wimbledon from 1978-80, never gave himself much of a chance at the Slam because he only played the Australian Open once.
"Nadal definitely has a chance to equal my record of six titles, and maybe even go past it," Borg said to the Telegraph. "He is still so young, just 20, so he has many years ahead of him. I see a lot of similarities between myself and Rafa on clay. You can compare us both mentally and physically. My opponents knew when they went out on the court with me that they would have to be out there for a long time if they wanted to try to defeat me, and that's no different with Rafa now."
Federer, the No. 1 seed, defeated Italian Potito Starace 6-2, 6-3, 6-0 on Friday. It was his first relatively normal match here after seeing his first-round contest split over two days because of rain; it rained constantly throughout his second-round match. Still, Federer has yet to lose a set here. He advanced to the round of 16, where he'll play Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who defeated 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in four sets.
In nine career matches against Federer, Youzhny has won all of two sets. His breakthrough came at last year's U.S. Open, when he defeated Nadal in the quarterfinals and lost to Andy Roddick in a four-set semifinal match.
"He's always been very famous for playing exceptionally well in practice, but for some reason couldn't tie it really together in a match situation," Federer said. "He usually also plays better against the better players.
"So I have to definitely be careful."
Nadal meets fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes, the No. 25 seed, on Saturday to secure his spot in the round of 16.