• Nadal out, best opportunity for Federer to win French Open

The unthinkable has happened. Nadal is out of this year’s French Open!

No matter how Federer tries to deny it, this is his best chance ever so far to win the elusive French Open title. A championship title that would seal his name as one of the best, if not the best, tennis player in history.

He knows it. His five setter, coming back from two-sets deficit, to win against Tommy Haas, shows that he wants a shot at this year’s French Open title badly.

Standing in his way if an in-form Robin Soderling. Soderling beat Nadal and followed up with a convincing and swift victory against Nicolai Davydenko. If his god-like form continues throughout the weekend, Soderling might just end up taking the title against Federer playing in his weakest surface.

In my view, if he were to miss this golden opportunity, he will have lost it forever. Federer in recent years is showing declining form. Probably due to injury or age. At 28 years old, he has probably three more years of pro tennis left in him at most. To cap it off with the French Open this year, and perhaps add one or two more slam titles in the near future, will be a dream come true ending for the maestro’s career. The most successful tennis player ever in professional tennis history.