Dualopoly firmly intact

The equally life-size phrases on the posters in between the pictures changed after every round, one day saying "one set lost, still not deterred," after the world number one Federer dropped his first set of grand slam tennis in 36 tries.

Another one proclaimed "6-4 6-3 6-0, with respect," after the defending champion Nadal dismantled fellow Majorcan and former French Open winner Carlos Moya in the quarter-finals.

The message of the advertising campaign was summed up quite succinctly, however, in the words that adorned the space alongside both Federer's smiling face and Nadal's steely grin every single day - "Qui peut l'arreter?"

Roughly translated it means, "Who can stop him?"

After another successful grand slam tournament for both of the top two players in the world, the answer remains that the only man who can stop one is the other.

Little has changed in the two years since Rafa took his first Roland Garros crown, as both men cruised into the finals of another grand slam with few bumps along the way.

The results suggest the only thing that has changed is that each player has somehow managed to get better.

Rafa was tested by former world number one Lleyton Hewitt in a third-set tie-break in the fourth round, and even looked to struggle against tour upstart Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

But the 21-year-old still managed to easily reach the final despite facing the most difficult draw of the tournament, and managed to do it without losing a set.

Federer, meanwhile, looked more at ease than ever on Paris' red-clay, reaching his second straight French Open final and making the last round of a slam for the eighth consecutive time.

Even the 25-year-old's one dropped set to Tommy Robredo could be seen as a fluke chalked up to a momentary lapse of concentration and shifting wind conditions.

Before meeting Rafa, the Swiss faced his only true test of the tournament against Russian Nikolay Davydenko, who pushed Federer through three difficult sets and two tie-breaks, but could not crack the top seed's ice-cool demeanor.

Together, the duo of Rafa and Fed have dominated the last nine grand slam titles and 11 of the last 12 majors, with Nadal winning the three French Opens and Federer claiming the rest.

The only other player to win a major title in the three years of Federer/Nadal dominion over the world of men's tennis was Marat Safin in the 2005 Australian Open, and the Russian has since plummeted down to 24th in the rankings.

Federer has been the reigning world number one since February 2, 2004 achieving a record number of weeks at the top, and the Spanish bull has been second in the world since July 25, 2005.

The play of Davydenko and Djokovic in Paris was an encouraging turn for a men's tour that desperately needs a little less hegemony, especially that of the 20-year-old Serbian who has been on wonderful form this year.

But when faced with the two greatest players on the planet, all either could produce was a brave fight that resulted in a straight sets loss.

While others - including Davydenko and Djokovic - will reach grand slam finals in the next few years, and while someone may even pick off the odd hard-court crown in either Melbourne or New York, it's difficult to imagine either Federer or Nadal dropping slams on their respective surfaces of preference, namely grass and clay.

Djokovic, who is the best hope of the men's tour to break the Federer/Nadal dualopoly in the coming years put it best.

"I say what is realistic, you know. I think that they are two best players in the world right now," said the world number four after a difficult 5-7 4-6 2-6 loss to Nadal in the semis.

"On every surface, they are the biggest favourites to win the title.

"And I think everybody knows that."

Djokovic's 2007 results are still incredibly encouraging.

This year alone, the young Serb has beaten Nadal in the quarter-finals of Miami on his way to the Sony Ericsson title, claimed a claycourt crown in Estoril and a hard-court title in Adelaide, in addition to producing a fine French Open and a finals appearance at the Indian Wells Masters.

The 20-year-old's performances are reason to hope for some eventual change at the top of the rankings and at the end of the grand slam brackets, and Djokovic knows this.

"I will work hard to try to one day be, you know, best in the world."

But with both Federer and Nadal still very much in their prime and even improving, don't expect to see that day any time soon.

Agree with this article or don't agree? Email jstahl@eurosport.com

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Jeremy Stahl