The 4 time champion of the red stuff in Paris was sent packing and now it has opened the door for Roger Federer to win his first ever title at Roland Garros. But I feel it has taken the shine off the tournament, if you want to be the best player in the world you need to beat the best on the surface.  Now that Nadal is chilling in his pool, Federer has every opportunity to win in Paris, but it won’t be the revenge he has sought for so long because now he can’t beat the world’s best clay court player in the final ( should he make it - of course). Rafa’s absence is a pity though as you have to appreciate the sheer class of the best player on the red stuff, but there are several other stars who are going to pose a major challenge for the world number two, the likes of Jo Wilfred Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Fernando Gonzalez, Juan Martin Del Potro and the “slayer of the Matador” – Robin Soderling.

Federer won’t be too phased that Nadal is missing after all he is focused on winning the 14th Grand Slam of his career, equaling the marvelous record of Pete Sampras. Rafa or no Rafa, I don’t think Federer cares as long as he goes on to win the elusive title in Paris for the first time.

Regardless of who you support, you want to see a final between Rafa and Roger, the world number one and number two slugging it out for top spot is the big ticket, especially at a Grand Slam. Now that Nadal is resting by the pool in Spain, many expect the world number two to go on and win in Paris, but it is not exactly what the event organizers would have liked. The possibility of a Frenchman reaching the final is second prize, but any final, even if it was Davydenko and Soderling would fill Phillipe Chatrier on men’s finals day.  So the tournament is not doomed because of Rafa’s exit, it just means that the chances of an epic final like at Wimbledon last year are extremely slim and that Federer’s chances of winning Roland Garros for the first time have just increased.

Sport has had its terrific rivalries in the past, especially in tennis, but this time round only one of the rivals will be able to go on to the final, well that is if the cool Swiss has his game face on, the French Open is now Federer’s to lose.