Rafael Nadal Will Continue French Open Domination over Novak Djokovic

Rafael Nadal doesn't lose at the French Open and Novak Djokovic doesn't perform as well on clay as other surfaces. That's why Djokovic hasn't won the last four Grand Slam tournaments and why he won't hold all four titles consecutively come Monday morning.

To be fair, Nadal didn't beat Djokovic in the 2011 French Open. Roger Federer took that role before losing to Nadal in the finals.

Djokovic avenged last year's semifinals loss by beating Federer in straight sets in the 2012 semifinal match.

In an article written at the start of the 2012 French Open, Bleacher Report also offered Nadal beating David Ferrer in the other semifinal before beating Djokovic in the finals. 

If Djokovic can pull out the win he would be the first player to hold all four titles simultaneously since Rod Laver accomplished a true Grand Slam in 1969.

But Nadal is looking for a record of his own.

His win will give him his seventh French Open title, breaking a tie with Bjorn Borg.

Nadal's only loss at Roland Garros came in the fourth round in 2009. The loss was fueled by tendinitis in both knees, causing him to withdraw from the AEGON Championships and Wimbledon.

But Nadal is healthy and playing well. Perhaps not as well as Djokovic overall, but his comfort on the clay will be the difference in this match. 

Djokovic has beaten Rafa in seven of their last nine matches. Both losses came on clay.

Despite the 2009 knee issues, Nadal excels on the surface. The sliding needed on clay can aggravate knees, but the softness of the surface causes less impact.

Nadal's left-handed swing certainly gives him an advantage on clay. It often allows him to match his forehand with opposing players' backhands on an uneven surface.

The King of Clay also generates tremendous topspin on his shots. This makes it difficult to judge the ball's hop off the clay and sends opponents to the baseline in a defensive position.

While Djokovic loses his speed advantage, Nadal gets a bigger edge from his topspin.

The French Open's surface will make the difference in 2012. Nadal will earn his seventh title and Laver won't have to worry about differentiating between a real Grand Slam and "merely" winning four straight titles.