Saturday, June 10 2006 14:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Paris: Ever since the stunning five set final of the Rome Masters last month, everyone has been waiting for this moment and now the most eagerly anticipated match of the year is finally upon us.

World number one and reigning Wimbledon, US and Australian Open champion Roger Federer faces reigning French Open champion and undisputed king of clay Rafael Nadal for the Roland Garros crown.

Already at 24, Federer is considered by his peers to be the best ever; Nadal for his part broke the record for consecutive clay court wins while still a teenager.

His 20th birthday came just a few days too early for him to also break the record number of titles for a teenager that he shares with Bjorn Borg. He will have to content himself for with the 16 each they won before turning 20.

Federer and Nadal are without a shadow of doubt the two best players in the world, with Federer top dog on every other surface except clay. Unless of course he is playing Nadal.

Strangely for a man who has dominated everyone else on tour he has racked up 37 career titles, including seven Grand Slams, and who has lost only three of 47 matches this year he can't seem to beat Nadal.

All three of those defeats came against the 20-year-old Spaniard and his head-to-head record with Nadal is one win and five defeats.

Their last two meetings were classic affairs, clay court finals in Monte Carlo and Rome, but Federer lost both. He is gunning for revenge.