14.04 They're out on court. Nadal bounces around feverishly for a while then takes his customary posture, setting his towel just so across his thighs, arranging his water bottles with the labels all aligned. Federer, as usual, looks about as fussed as a businessman gathering his belongings before getting off a train.
14.02 BBC have paired their pre-game hype reel with this sweet little ditty by Carla Bruni. Well worth a listen, though not a song particularly suited to building an impression of warring egos and tidal rushes of testosterone.
14.00 No sign of the players yet, but it's dry in Paris and there's even a little bit of sun. Play should be under way before too long. How long it will take... that's another question.
E-mail 13.56 A couple of predictions: "Nadal in four," says Sarah Williamson. "Federer's been in phenomenal form but Nadal has a hold over him in the Grand Slams. That run of defeats will be difficult to shake off." Paul Lewis is even more down on the Swiss great: "This will be his last final," he predicts confidently, predicting a straight-sets win for Nadal and no doubt stroking his crystal ball.
13.50 If Federer's to win he needs to end points quickly and pick up lots of cheap points on his serve. His form against Djokovic is encouraging in that regard: he served 18 aces in that match. He can't have served better on clay than he has during this tournament. The switch to faster Babolat balls from the usual Dunlops has helped him out. Ironically, Nadal is the face of Babolat.
Another number from Federer's semi-final is less encouraging: he broke Djokovic's serve just twice in 18 attempts. He will need to take his chances this afternoon, and that kind of hit-rate probably won't cut it against Nadal.
13.40 While we're waiting for the players to emerge, why not relive the greatest 4 hours and 48 minutes of tennis's greatest rivalry? That match was memorably broken up by the weather, as today's game promises to be.
13.20 Afternoon. After all that, it's these two again. Roger Federer, 16 months without a major final, showed Novak Djokovic exactly how much a long unbeaten streak counts for when it comes to the crunch, and Rafael Nadal recovered from some shaky form at the beginning of the tournament and looked his old remorseless self against Andy Murray.
Federer has never beaten Nadal at Roland Garros, losing three finals to the Mallorcan. The worst moment came in 2008, when he apologised to the crowd after winning just four games. If he manages to beat his old foe today it will be the first time he's beaten Nadal in a Grand Slam since winning Wimbledon in 2007.
The skies are overcast and brooding over Paris, and interruptions are predicted for the afternoon and evening. Play's scheduled to start at 2.
Quote RAFAEL NADAL...
On the prospect of equalling Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open title: "For me, seriously, I don't think about that. I have a lot of respect for the great Bjorn but I am focused on trying to play well. For me, it's much more important to win Roland Garros than equal Bjorn."
Could gloomy conditions play a role? "I don't have the power to control the weather. So if it rains, I'm going to think it's an advantage for me; if the sun shines, I'm going to think it's an advantage for me. I have to think positive all the time because I cannot control that."
His form through the tournament: "If you compare now to one week ago, it is completely different. Seriously, being in the final of Roland Garros you can't have problems, you cannot have doubts. I had to forget about the anxiety or the fears I had something like two weeks ago, and now I have gained more confidence."
His opponent: "After the victory [against Djokovic] he must feel very confident. I had a lot of fun watching that match. There's nothing new against Roger, I know what's going to happen. I know he's going to play aggressive, for sure. I have to try to play long, to play consistent all the time, and try to be aggressive when I have the chance."
Quote ROGER FEDERER...
Back to his best? "Honestly, I feel very well. I think I move very well, I'm never stressed. If there is a ball that you miss, it's just because the other one played it very well, and not because I made a mistake or I played bad tennis on the return, or on my serve. That's why I'm very happy at the moment with my game. Is it my best? I don't know."
On his "decline" - did he ever worry he had had played his last final? "No, not really. I was very close in the US Open [semi-finals] and then I'm playing a final here against Rafa. Last year maybe I had a hard time here and in Wimbledon, but sometimes it's hard to play the perfect match. So that's why you have to accept it and continue to work... I have not disappeared anywhere."
On the rivalry: "We had a lot of fantastic matches. Final of Miami, 2005, final of Rome, 2006 [over five sets], for sure the 2007 final of Wimbledon, 2008 final of Wimbledon, Australia... a lot of important matches, a lot of emotions. That makes this match very special."
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