Having now dispatched Rafa on the elevated courts of Madrid, and a week later beating him in Rome, is he now the overwhelming favorite to bag the French? I still feel that he cannot. What is your take?
I do not want to see Nole win the French this year. I think it is going to be like the Wimbledon a couple years ago when Rafa lost to the Fed, then beating him the following year. Rafa should take this year's title and next year it will be Nole's title to lose. What do you think?
I can totally see that. I think with the way the draw should play out, Nole will have to beat both Roger and Rafa to win the title. And at the Grand Slam level, on clay, I just don't see that happening. I could possibly see what you are describing happening next year, however, let me add this, I don't see Nole doing next year what he did this year. He will have a ton of points to defend, and that pressure will be very difficult to deal with. He has to come back to earth at some point, what will he look like when that happens?