Nadal vs. Ferrer: What Win Would Mean for Each Spanish Star at 2013 French Open

The men's singles side of the 2013 French Open draw has pushed its way to the finals, where Rafael Nadal (3) and David Ferrer (4) are set to square off for the second Grand Slam title of the 2013 season. 

Nadal reached the final at Roland Garros by ousting Novak Djokovic in a thriller, while Ferrer took care of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets to do the same. Roland Garros had the tweet as the pair realized they would be facing each other next. 

The match will mark Ferrer's first appearance in a Grand Slam final, while Nadal is no stranger to the feat—he's been to plenty of finals in his professional career and holds seven of the last eight crowns at the French Open. 

Nadal, No. 4 on the ATP World Tour rankings behind Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Djokovic, moved in front of Ferrer (No. 5) prior to the start of the French Open, having already beaten his countryman three times this season—twice in quarterfinals and once in a final (Abierto Mexicano Telcel). 

Nadal boasts a 19-4 career record against Ferrer, and a 16-1 mark on clay. The last time Ferrer beat Nadal was on a hard surface; that victory came back in 2011 at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships. 

Both Spaniards come into Sunday's final with a shot at glory, but for vastly different reasons and aftermaths. For Nadal, an unprecedented eighth French Open crown would cement his already impressive legacy, while 31-year-old Ferrer looks to be the feel-good story of the year with an improbable run in an event Nadal has owned during his career. 

Tennis is nothing if it doesn't appreciate the effects of a Grand Slam victory. Here's a look at what such a victory would mean for either men should Sunday's match go his way.

Match Information

What: Rafael Nadal (3) vs. David Ferrer (4)

Where: Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland Garros, Paris, France

When: Sunday, June 9 at 9 a.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

What Win Would Mean for Nadal

There's not much to say about Rafael Nadal at the French Open that hasn't already been said. 

A seven-time tournament winner, the three-time defending champion and second to only Max Decugis (8) in French Open/Championship titles, Nadal will reach legendary status if he were to tie the Frenchman who made his mark at Roland Garros when the event was in the "Amateur Era."

Nadal has lost only two singles matches in 2013, and avenged one of those losses to Djokovic in the tournament semifinal, so an eighth title would put him in contention at every Grand Slam moving forward. 

If he can stay healthy, that is. 

Dealing with injuries in 2012, Nadal's reckless style of play and powerful strokes on both sides of his racket have led to some health concerns both in the short and long term when looking at his career trajectory. 

A win at Roland Garros on Sunday, though, would prove that his early-season dominance was no fluke, and cement the fact that while he's still entered on the draw at Roland Garros each season, there will be no one tougher to face in a singles match. 

Looking ahead to Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, Nadal won't be favored there because he's only four majors away from the safe comforts of the clay courts in Paris, but there's no reason to believe that a few tweaks in his game won't lead to continued success. 

You could make the claim that the absence of Andy Murray somewhat taints a Nadal win, but you would have to make the same claim for Ferrer, and it would stick there a lot better than it would with Rafa. 

To be the best, you also have to beat the best—regardless of who is in the draw. Djokovic was given that honor by the tournament committee, and Nadal took care of business again. This tweet from Tom Perrotta should drive that point home:

There's nothing more satisfying to a tennis pro than to capture a Grand Slam title—multiple titles are just icing on the cake to a guy like Nadal. But breaching uncharted territory and winning an eighth French Open title could be one of the most unbreakable records in sports history by the time he's all said and done. 

Ferrer stands in the way. 

What Win Would Mean for Ferrer

Standing in the way has allowed David Ferrer to turn a career that has never seen him reach the finals of a Grand Slam into a top-five ranking on the ATP Tour, and it's going to give him a shot to win this match. 

Although his career record against Nadal lends no favors, and the 16-1 mark on clay is particularly damning, Ferrer breezed through tournament competition at Roland Garros this year, he has won every set through six rounds of action. 

As noted by ESPN's Jim Caple, this shot at the top is a long time coming. 

Ferrer is fully aware that he's the underdog in this match. You don't enter a match against a seven-time tournament champion at the height of his dominance and blush confidence or arrogance toward an easy victory—that would be foolish. 

Quietly going about his business, Ferrer has been the embodiment of perseverance and determination in the sport of tennis. Playing in every Grand Slam since 2003, Ferrer had not once made it from the early stages into the promised land of a final. 

Until now. 

A win for Ferrer would be the upset of the 2013 season. Sure—top seeds go down to lower-seeded players every tournament and we start the discussion on collapses, but there isn't a player in the sport who would have the advantage Nadal has over any opponent on clay. 

To win against the sport's most feared competitor on the surface, Ferrer will have to show poise, resolve and the ability to move around the court with quick feet because of Nadal's ability to manipulate the surface in his favor. 

Hands down, this would be the win of Ferrer's career. 

Suspension has been building around Ferrer as a Grand Slam contender. At 31, he might not have the staying power of some of his compatriots, but he has enough juice to give Nadal problems and turn this into a winnable match in Paris on Sunday. 

Murray is gone, and that takes a little bit of the shine off this potential victory. The draw has done him no favors, either, with Federer already being gone by the time the semifinal commenced. 

Don't use that as a reason to chastise him, though, rather celebrate the good fortune of one of tennis' "good guys." Ferrer has been waiting for a long time, and on Sunday he'll get his shot at contender No. 1 on the Roland Garros red. 

Sunday is right around the corner, but the match—and a potential win—couldn't come sooner for both of these top players. 

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