Roger Federer

Paris: Roger Federer next week launches his ninth attempt to crack the French Open riddle.

The 26-year-old Swiss has made a habit of monopolising the other three Grand Slam tournaments, routinely waltzing to four Wimbledon, three US Open and three Australian Open titles.

But come Paris in the spring, and Federer has suffered the same fate as similar gifted predecessors like John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras who all came up short on the unforgiving red clay.

Adding to the mystery is the fact that Federer is no claycourt rookie. Among his 48 career titles are four Hamburg Masters wins, all achieved on the slowest surface in the sport and all clinched in the run-up to Roland Garros.

It’s his misfortune, however, that his hopes of winning the French Open to become only the sixth man in history to lift all four Grand Slam trophies, has coincided with the claycourt mastery of world No. 2 Rafael Nadal.

The musclar Spaniard, who has won the last two tournaments here — beating Federer in the 2005 semi-final and the 2006 final — is yet to lose at Roland Garros.

But Federer senses that 2007 is his big chance. Having split with Tony Roche, the world No. 1 defeated Nadal for the first time on clay in last week’s Hamburg final, ending the Spaniard’s 81-match winning streak on his favourite surface.

Federer has now won three of the pair’s past four meetings, although he still trails 4-7 overall. “He had 81 wins in a row on clay, that’s phenomenal,” said Federer whose win in Hamburg was a timely boost after an uncharacteristic first-round loss in Rome the week before which prompted the split with Roche.

“The win in Hamburg was great. Now it will be interesting going into the French Open to see both reactions.”

Federer knows deep down that a win here on June 10 would secure his position as the best player of all time.