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TODAY'S MEN'S FINAL No. 1 Roger Federer vs. No. 2 Rafael Nadal

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 8, 2008

WHEN: 9 a.m.

TV: WFLA, Channel 8

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Nadal leads 10-6, including an 8-1 advantage on clay. This will be their fourth meeting in the French Open; Nadal won the first three, including the past two in the title match.

ROAD TO THE FINAL: Federer: def. Sam Querrey, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; def. Albert Montanes, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4; def. Mario Ancic, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; def. Julien Benneteau, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5; def. (24) Fernando Gonzalez, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4; def. Gael Monfils, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. Nadal: def. Thomaz Bellucci, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1; def. Nicolas Devilder, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1; def. (26) Jarkko Nieminen, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1; def. (22) Fernando Verdasco, 6-1, 6-0, 6-2; def. (19) Nicolas Almagro, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1; def. (3) Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (3).

ABOUT FEDERER: He is playing in the French Open for the 10th time. ... It's the only Grand Slam title he hasn't won. ... He will be playing in his third consecutive final at Roland Garros. ... He is 23-0 against players not named Rafael Nadal the past four years at Roland Garros; 0-3 against Nadal. ... He has been ranked No. 1 since Feb. 2, 2004, a record 227 consecutive weeks. ... He will be playing in his 15th major final, tied for the fifth-most in history. ... He has won 12 Grand Slam titles - five at Wimbledon, four at the U.S. Open and three at the Australian Open. Pete Sampras holds the record with 14. ... He has 54 career titles, one this year.

ABOUT NADAL: He is 27-0 all-time at Roland Garros, winning the past three titles. ... He is aiming to become the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1978-1981 to win four consecutive French Open championships. ... He is the first man since Ivan Lendl in 1984-87 to reach four French Open finals in a row. ... Since the French Open went international in 1925, only Borg (six total titles) and Henri Cochet (four between 1926 and 1932) have won it four times. ... He is 114-2 on clay since 2005. ... He is 40-0 in best-of-five-set matches on the surface for his career. ... He has been ranked No. 2 since July 25, 2005 - 150 consecutive weeks. ... He has 26 career titles, three this year.

Tribune wires

TODAY'S MEN'S FINAL

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