Rafael Nadal - French Open Men's Tennis Players

World Number One, Rafael Nadal is on a mission in Paris - he equaled the record of legendary Swede Bjorn Borg by lifting his fourth consecutive French Open title in 2008 at Roland Garros, and is heading for a fifth win.

It is almost impossible to conceive that the dominant young player of clay could falter in his quest for his fifth successive French Open crown, especially since he is unbeaten in the tournament, having won all 22 of his matches over the three years he has contested the event.

Nadal's playing style is literally perfect for clay court competition - he is a vicious and accurate counterpuncher employing powerful topspin, he prefers to play from deep in the court and he moves with tremendous speed and agility leaving his opponent's flat footed and on the defensive. He has proved that he is, however, a consummate professional and has worked on all aspects of his game and is now considered to be a well-rounded all-court expert!

Nadal is virtually invincible on the clay of Europe and he has several consecutive victories in the Masters Series under his belt - he has claimed a trio of wins at both the Monte Carlo and Rome Masters, and made tennis history when he claimed 81 straight clay court wins - the longest winning streak in the open era. Of his 23 career wins, 18 have been on clay, and his career win/loss record on the surface is a remarkable 133/13!

Nadal has also denied the former world number one, Roger Federer, the French Open crown on two occasions, thereby eliminating the emperor of tennis from achieving the most sought after feat in tennis lore, the elusive career grand slam, and all indications are that he could well add to Federer's downfall all over again in 2009.

Nadal had a fantastic 2007 season - he reached the final three rounds of every single ATP grand slam and masters tournament he played in, apart from the US Open and the Cincinnati Masters, where he was knocked out in the fourth and second rounds respectively.

His 2008 season was his most remarkable, he won his first ever Wimbledon title, knocking his rival Roger Federer out of the finals, and claimed the World Number One status for the very first time. He was ruled out of the 2008 Davis Cup however, due to tendinitis in his knee, but the rest will do him good, as he enters the 2009 season free of injury and hungry for yet another victory. Rafa will surely take the Coupe des Mousquetaires - the men's singles trophy - yet again.