I Can Also Beat You Wearing Pink, No?

I'm told that Rafa's colors for the French Open, courtesy of Nike, will be (drum roll please)... Fuchsia!  With a yellow stripe.  And grey pants.

I was on a different blog when we got this news, and someone there coined the phrase that became the title of this piece.  So I cannot claim credit. 

Nevertheless, I thought it apropos for my thoughts as we go into this year's French Open.  It will be a historic one, billed as the first time in 80 years that someone will have a chance to win the Coupe des Mousequetaires five consecutive times.

It will also be the first time we see a British man ranked at No. 3. Novak Djokovic seems to be in excellent form on clay. Though currently ranked No. 4, he is not playing like a No. 4.

And (drum roll please)...Roger has a historic chance for a career Grand Slam, something that would help him eclipse Pete Sampras in the record books on more than one score, by meeting Pete's record of 14 majors in tennis, and achieving the French Open, something Pete was never able to do.

Leaving off a discussion of Djokovic and Murray, a discussion which would require another article, Roger seems to really want the French Open title. You can see it in his eyes. 

Someone said (Dick Enberg on TV?) that each one wants what the other one has: for Rafa it was Wimbledon, where Roger seemed to 'own' Centre Court.  For Roger, it is Phillipe Chatrier, the one venue that seems to be 'owned' by Rafa Nadal like no one else before (more on that later).

In 80 years, how can one person 'own' what has been historic in nature?  What I'm trying to say is, Phillipe Chatrier belongs to no one, everyone: the fans, and the great players down the line who have christened it with their sweat.

If anyone owned that house, it ought to be Yannick Noah, the so far, only, Frenchman to win the championship.  Other greats who have graced the stadium with their athleticism, tennis skill and acumen include Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander. 

The great Suzanne Lenglen, who won four titles, is one of the sports all-time legends, and lends her name to the other show court of the venue, played in this arena.

OK, enough with the history.  On with that look in Roger Federer's eyes, and the issue of how this is going to play out this year.

The last great rivalry, that between Pete Sampras, and Andre Agassi, was one in which in the big matches, Pete always outserved Andre, and won. 

I'll never forget the 2002 USO final, which was billed at the time as a huge confrontation between a great returner and the greatest server of all time.  In practice, it was pretty tame. 

Pete served so well that Andre never had a chance.  I remember Andre walking perfunctorily between ad and deuce court between points, as ace after ace went by.

Even though Andre has the Career Grand Slam (Golden Slam, because he also won an Olympic Gold medal), Pete is widely regarded as the GOAT (greatest of all time) on the basis of his overall Slam record and comprehensive game.

That is, until the arrival of Roger Federer, who in many ways has eclipsed Pete.  My personal view is that Roger really, badly, madly, wants that mantle of GOAT on his resume.

In his recent win at Madrid, Roger showed that a comprehensive serving game coupled with good net play could beat Rafael Nadal.

Roger left the court waving a sole index finger in the air.  "I know what I have to do," he said at his press conference.

And the truth is that when a guy is serving great, there is nothing the opponent can do.  A great serving game can make the opponent miss, can make them look bad, shank the ball when returning, etc.

Rafael Nadal has shown himself to be a great retriever in the vein of Andre Agassi.  Indefatigable, and also both stronger and faster than Andre was at his age.  So at first glance this year's FO may seem to be a repeat of the old formula between Pete and Andre.

But not so fast.

Rafael Nadal seems to own Phillipe Chatrier stadium like no other before him...differently than Noah, who christened it with his joy and the joy of his countrymen in his victory; differently than Agassi, who christened it with his heart in 1999; differently than Laconte, who literally christened it in 1928 when he deftly outplayed Big Bill Tilden.

Rafa's game seems to have evolved from that of his teenaged years in which he could be described as a great retriever. Rafa moves the best of any player we have seen there (with the possible exception of the Ice-man: Bjorn Borg), he's a smart player, and he LOVES a dog fight.

If Rafa is the inheritor of the legacy of Andre Agassi (debatable), in the same way that Roger may be the inheritor of the legacy of Pete Sampras (debatable), then the French Open may be a show-stopper for Roger because of the way the court takes away the efficacy of the serve.  This arena makes a player showcase other tennis skills.

"I know what I have to do ..." may be famous last words.  Roger has spoken these words before. Roger has exuded confidence going into every final in a major.

He has also played with his usual style, elegance, form, and brilliance throughout the tournament(s), only to lose when facing Rafa. (The exceptions include two Wimbledon finals where Rafa was 20 and 21 years old, respectively).

Roger may know what do to, but even Roger acknowledges "that doesn't make it easy."  Last year, Roger acknowledged that he 'tried everything,' only to come up well short.

The only words of Roger's that matter going into this year's FO are these: "It will be interesting..." 

And given last year's performance by Roger at this same venue, my thought is...it better be!  I have a wait and see attitude toward this year's FO and a Federer chance at history.  

I can also beat you wearing pink, no? 

If Rafa really does wear the pink duds, I may have to call for the fashion police to issue him a ticket.  I mean, what was Nike thinking?  Pink tennis uniform against the red clay of Roland Garros? Ahhhh!

Only Princess Diana could successfully pull off that pink and red combination.  It is widely regarded as a fashion disaster, and not even if you are from Miami do you try those colors together. 

But as Pete Bodo noted in his article about 'Country Club Rafa,' Rafa seems to transcend his clothes, whether downmarket pirate gear, or upmarket 'Slim-Fitting' Summer Bold.  (Here's that lovely Pete Bodo fashion discussion: http://tennisworld.typepad.com/tennisworld/2009/04/tk-1.html )  

Instead of the clothes being 'forced' on him, the explosive, intense, tenacious, virile nature of Rafa's tennis, takes the whole 'look' into a different zone.

This year's clay-court sesason has already proven interesting (even before the major tournament starts) with great clay-court tennis from the likes of Djokovic, Murray, and Verdasco.

The eventual winner of this year's FO will add to the aura of this event, no matter who it is. If Rafa can pull off a fifth championship, in pink, it will add to the legend, 'patina' if you will, of a great venue, and an historically great tournament; one of its greatest players, and a style of play.