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Former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero won the title at Roland Garros 16 years ago. Two years later, another Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, 18, triumphed on Paris clay. Ferrero did not know that Nadal was going to win 11 Grand Slam victories on clay. And the world No. 2 could add to this figure in the next fifteen days.
"Rafa, he's 100% physically, I think he's going to win again," Ferrero told ATPTour.com.
But Ferrero, who regularly follows the ATP circuit throughout the year, including ATP Masters 1000 and Grand Slam tournaments, knows that it will not be easy for his compatriot. Nadal needed until the Internazionali BNL of Italia to win his first title of the season, the longest drought for the title of the Spaniard since a year since 2004, when he had won his first trophy at the of the circuit. Even with Nadal now close to his best, there are plenty of challengers ready to make their own mark in Paris.
"I also think Thiem is one of the favorites. He played the final last year. I think it's [has] acquired the experience he needed to create an opportunity to win a Grand Slam on clay after defeating Rafa more than once, "said Ferrero of Dominic Thiem, who, after defeating Nadal at Barcelona, had beaten the legendary southpaw on clay three consecutive seasons. "Obviously, Novak will be there. Other guys, it's hard to say. Roger, on clay, the best of five sets, I will not put him among the favorites this time. "
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Federer participates in Roland Garros for the first time since 2015. Before playing in Madrid and Rome, the 37-year-old has not participated in any clay courts since 2016. He qualified for the quarterfinals of each of these two Masters 1000. tournaments.
Djokovic, meanwhile, is the world's number one. He gained momentum in Paris by winning the trophy at the Mutua Madrid Open. And in Rome, the Serbian defeated two peasant peasants, in the quarterfinals against Juan Martin del Potro and in the semifinal against Diego Schwartzman, to reach the final against Nadal.
Although Djokovic fought well, pushing the championship game to a third set, Nadal finally won his ninth trophy at Foro Italico.
"It was a bit odd, the match, because the first set and the third set were not the battles you expect from this type of matches in the final or if you see some of the matches that Novak and Rafa have played in the past, said Ferrero. "It was very odd to see 6-0 then the third 6-1. Rafa, I think he was playing very aggressively, maybe a little more than other tournaments … Of course, Rafa had a little trouble losing in tournaments where he was supposed to win, like Barcelona, Monte Carlo or Madrid.
"He was very keen to win the tournament and we could see it from the start in Rome and in the final certainly he did it from the very first point. Maybe the concentration of Novak, it was not the same thing of Rafa [throughout the week]. "
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Now, a lot of history could be done at Roland Garros. Nadal could win a 12th Musketeers Cup, Djokovic could win his fourth consecutive major, which would do for the second time in his career, and Federer could lift his 21st Grand Slam trophy.
"When I played, it was strange to think that someone would reach that kind of numbers. But now, you see Roger or Novak or Rafa and you see them, it's like normal numbers for them because they fight each Grand Slam to win, "said Ferrero." After being No. 1 and having achieved a very good career, it's almost impossible to think that anyone can reach this type of numbers. "
Ferrero also believes that the likes of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer build their level so as to reach their maximum during the Grand Slam and Masters 1000 tournaments.
"I think now they play more for numbers, for records," said Ferrero. "This is the story of numbers and who will win more Grand Slam tournaments and who will win more Masters 1000. They must have a great motivation and these figures could be part of it. "
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