Which matchup would make for the best French Open final?
Busted Racquet ranks the potential men's finals at the French Open and predicts Friday's semifinals.
1. Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic
Perfection. Nadal, the five-time champion, against Djokovic, his 44-match win streak and the recent challenge as the best tennis player of the moment. It's almost too good to think about, lest we be disappointed if it doesn't happen.
2. Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer
They've met in the finals three times before and, other than a 35-minute stretch in their 2006 match when Federer won the first set 6-1, there was never the belief that Nadal could lose. From this vantage point, you'd expect the same would hold true in a potential Sunday meeting, except for this caveat: If the rivals are to play in the final, it would mean that Federer beat Djokovic. By that measure, his game would surely be strong enough to top Nadal. Who would win: Nadal.
3. Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray
Murray isn't going to beat Nadal. I know it, you know it, Rafa knows it, Murray knows it. If he didn't have a bum ankle and he hadn't played four of the previous five days and Nadal hadn't played so brilliantly against Robin Soderling and ... no, he's not beating Nadal. Let's say he were to, by virtue of blind luck or a potential case of Nadal food poisoning, win that match and face Djokovic. Could he pull the upset of Djokovic? I realize by saying no I'm contradicting what I wrote about Federer above but, then again, Murray isn't beating Nadal. Who would win: Djokovic
4. Roger Federer vs. Andy Murray
When your least-intriguing matchup involves the all-time leader in Grand Slams and the best player of the last 20 years never to win one, you know it's a legendary slate of semifinalists. Who would win: Federer
Predictions
Nadal over Murray in straight sets
Federer over Djokovic in five sets
