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French Open 2005: Becker backs Nadal
Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker is backing 18-year-old Spaniard Rafael Nadal to win the 2005 French Open.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:51 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
New Delhi: Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker is backing 18-year-old Spaniard Rafael Nadal to win the 2005 French Open. "At the moment he is a big favourite of mine in my opinion. I think he is one of the favourites," said Becker. You have (Argentine Gaston) Gaudio one of the French champions, you have (Argentine Guillermo) Coria, you have (Spain's Juan Carlos) Ferrero and you have Federer on clay is also a big threat you shouldn't overlook him. But the top favourite right now is Rafael Nadal," said Becker. Nadal has given enough proof for Becker to back him. The Spaniard has won four titles this year and was just two points away from beating World Number one Roger Federer. On clay his record is even better, having lost just two matches so far this season. "Well he is better on clay than I was, first of all. But on a serious note he is really an up and coming new star in the tennis world, and it's wonderful to see such a young kid with so much fire power and so much will to win and in a way it reminds of a young teenager from Germany 20 years ago or more," Becker said. I'm often in Spain on the island of Mallorca, and he's from Mallorca and I have seen him actually play four or five years ago and he had the same attitude, the same attitude that he brings to the game now," Becker added. Nadal will need all that attitude if he is to go onto to win his first grand slam at Roland Garros this year and prove Becker right.
Topics mentioned in this article
Tennis
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