Madrid Open 2012: Roger Federer Will Tame Blue Clay and Beat Tomas Berdych

The big news out of the 2012 Madrid Open centeres around the blue clay and how the players can't stand it, but if there's one player talented and experienced enough to tame the clay and bring home the title it's Roger Federer.

Federer has advanced to the finals and will square off against Tomas Berdych for the chance to win his third ever Madrid Open title.

It's not going to be easy, as Berdych is undoubtedly talented. He's the No. 7 ranked men's tennis player in the world and has won one singles title already this season, boasting a record of 22-6. He'll be a huge challenge to the aging Federer, especially on serves.

Look no farther than the 15 aces he notched in his 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) win over Juan Martin del Potro for proof of that. He's going to really cause trouble, especially if you believe in hindrance of the slick blue clay.

It's the slickness of the clay that had many players up in arms regarding the Madrid Open, but according to the Associated Press via foxsports.com, Federer's game seems unaffected by it:

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While both Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic vowed to never again play on Madrid's new blue-clay court after early exits, Federer's more technical style has not been overly hampered by the surface many players have criticized as slippery.

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If that's the only advantage Federer has over Berdych it should be enough, but let's not forget the plethora of experience that he is bringing to the table as well.

He's 23-3 on the season and already has three singles titles under his belt, which is a very good sign for the 30-year-old.

When you consider though that winning at Madrid would give him his 74th career title, you realize how good he really is.

Many have stated that Federer has dropped off a bit with age, and with the uprising of Novak Djokovic and the dominance of Rafael Nadal it's hard to argue that. That being said, there is no doubting that Federer is still one of the most skilled players in tennis.

He may not have the physical attributes he once did, but he's bringing a poise and expertise that Berdych could only dream of.

Even in the latter stages of his career, Federer is still one of the best players in the game, and he can prove that with a big win that would set him up very nicely going into the 2012 French Open.

If there's one man that can tame the infamous blue clay and come away the champion, it's Fed.