For the third straight year, the men's final - to be played today - will be between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Both were not seriously threatened, and Friday's semi-finals represented more of the same.

Federer and Nadal secured their much-anticipated rematch with relative ease.

These two, who are on unusually friendly terms for arch-rivals, have the chance to keep chasing history at the other's expense.

Federer, the 26-year-old Swiss, will be trying to break his tie with Bjorn Borg by winning his sixth straight singles title.

The feat will equal the record established by the 19th-century Englishman William Renshaw, who had to play only one match a year in the more privileged days of the challenge round.

'A little different now,' noted Federer.

Nadal, 22, who gunned down German Rainer Schuettler, 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to earn a date with Federer, will be trying to become the first Spanish man in 42 years to win the singles title here.

A victory would also allow him to become the first man since Borg in 1980 to complete the gruelling French Open-Wimbledon double in the same season.

But today's final, which risks being delayed or postponed if early weather forecasts are accurate, is much more than a numbers game.

It is also a one-match tussle for supremacy in the men's game.

Though Federer will maintain the No 1 ranking no matter what the result, he needs to win to maintain the aura he began building in 2003.

Nadal, the longest-reigning No 2 in modern tennis history, wants to prove that he can win a big one on something other than the red clay of Paris.

Federer, unbeaten on grass for six years and on a 65-match winning streak on the surface, has been No 1 for 231 weeks.

Nadal has occupied the No 2 slot for the past 154 weeks.

'It certainly is a dream final for everyone,' Federer said.

The hope is that it lives up to last year's final, although a repeat of the five-set classic may be asking too much.

Nadal had four chances to break Federer's serve early in the fifth set, but Federer was able to dodge trouble and keep his winning streak alive.

This year, Nadal has been the more dominant of the two, overwhelming Federer in the French Open final, losing just four games.

He won on grass at Queen's Club the next week, then hustled through a sometimes tricky draw at Wimbledon, losing just one set in the second round.

Yet, today's match will be a much different proposition.

As Nadal said: 'Right now I have on the other side of the net the best player in the world.

'I feel I have to play very well to have chances to win. He is playing well, but I am playing well too.'

Asked if his lopsided defeat in Paris would matter, Federer shook his head.

'It's one month ago,' he said. 'It's forgotten.

'We're not on clay. It doesn't mean too much at this point.'

NYT, AFP