Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams fired warning shots to their French Open rivals with comprehensive victories over Roger Federer and Victoria Azarenka respectively in Rome on Sunday.
Nadal has produced some blistering tennis since returning from a seven-month injury absence and his seventh victory in nine years on the red clay of Rome left his Swiss rival in no doubt as to the Spaniard’s prospects of lifting an eighth French Open title.
“Now he is the favourite for the French Open,” said Federer.
With 19 defeats against Nadal – 12 of which had already come on clay – Federer was playing catch-up from the third game before falling to a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 loss.
But Nadal warned that form is no guarantee against an early upset.
“Maybe it is enough, but what can I tell you? If I play like this and I arrive at Roland Garros and somebody beats me, I will shake his hand,” said Nadal, who has won six titles in eight tournaments since his return to the tour in February.
“When you play and win many titles in a row like I am doing, then you are doing things well. I could reach Roland Garros and lose in the first round – this is the sport, and this is tennis.”
Federer, on the day, was no match on the Spaniard’s preferred surface.
“He played very aggressively from the start, he didn’t make too many mistakes and had a good match overall,” said Federer.”
Federer’s disappointment was palpable. But the Swiss, whose sole win in Paris came in 2009, said it was only logical his rival had returned to the sport in prime condition.
“He is not going to come back 20 per cent fit, he was only going to come back when he was 100 per cent healthy… and now he is the favourite for the French Open,” he added.
While Federer and Novak Djokovic stand in Nadal’s way, Williams is likely to face her stiffest challenge from Azarenka and defending French Open champion Maria Sharapova.
Williams’ 6-1, 6-3 win over Azarenka in the final resulted in her fourth title this season and left her feeling confident she can avenge her shock first round loss in Paris last year to Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.
“I’ve won every Grand Slam there is to win, even if only once. But for me I don’t feel any pressure any more,” Williams said after her 6-1, 6-3 win over Azarenka.
“She definitely showed some more incredible tennis today… she’s been playing her best tennis for the past year and a half or so,” admitted Azarenka.
Although it was Williams’s second Rome title after 2002, she is determined to make sure her approach to Paris, one of her favourite cities, is different this time around.
“It’s definitely different. It has to be,” she said. “I was feeling excellent last year and didn’t do great. This year I’m more cautious.
“I want to work hard and stay focused and win every point hard and not slack at all.”
