Paris set for showdown (and we don't mean Hilton)

There are, of course, other players involved but the story of the French Open tennis tournament comes down to two people: Roger and Rafa.

They have always been rivals but this is building into one of the finest and hardest-fought in the history of the game. Rafael Nadal's win over Federer in the recent Madrid Masters has set up Roland Garros for what seems to be a classic showdown.

The knee-jerk response has been to make Nadal the hot favourite as a result of Madrid - played on the same clay courts as Paris and the surface on which Nadal's record is superior to Federer's. Played 12, of which Nadal has won 10, Federer 2.

There is no question Nadal is back - and that his suspect knees have mended. His chasing and retrieving seem as good as ever, to the extent his rather ordinary serving is rarely a factor. read more