David Leggat: Federer finally takes French title (but Auckland eludes him)

Hands up all those - and no cheating, because there aren't many of you - who were watching out the back on court six at the old Stanley St when a couple of relatively unknown teenagers played their first-round match in the Auckland international tournament of 2000.

Three years later, Juan Carlos Ferrero would win the French Open title, and Roger Federer his first Wimbledon a few weeks later.

Back then, as world No 45 and 61 respectively, their futures were bright, but no more. Ferrero, aka The Flea, beat the 18-year-old Artful Roger 6-4, 6-4 that day.

That was Federer's only appearance in Auckland, and with the pocketing of what had become his magnificent obsession, the French Open in Paris yesterday, put your tongue in your cheek and suggest the Heineken Open is one of the few titles to have eluded the Swiss magician.

Yesterday was Federer's 59th career singles title. It meant plenty. Quiet tears flowed, but that's nothing new with an athlete whose emotions are an open book. He suggested it was the greatest of his 14 Grand Slam crowns.

"I can now go the rest of my career without worrying that I would never win the French Open," he said. And with those words you can visualise the sagging weight lifting off his shoulders.

The victory over Swede Robin Soderling drew him level with American Pete Sampras as the greatest Grand Slam singles collector.

He's done it in 40 tournaments; Sampras needed 52 and was 31 when he beat Andre Agassi to win the US Open in 2002. Federer is 27 and has got there in just under six years; Sampras needed 12.

Still, in recent times the questions have become more persistent: Could he scale the summit as the rise of the muscular Mallorcan Rafael Nadal gathered pace?

But Nadal's dramatic fourth-round demise at the hands of Soderling, and the early departures of world No 3 and 4, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic - who have both beaten Federer twice this year - cleared the way for Federer on his 11th visit to Roland Garros.

Usually an underdog will garner some support from that section of fans who routinely cheer for the little guy, no matter what. But Soderling has a reputation of being a locker-room twat.

That, combined with the serious affection felt for tennis' great artist, meant the emotions were flowing only one way yesterday.

Has there been a better player than Federer? Sampras maintains not - "he goes down as the greatest ever" - and Agassi leans the same way, and in an unintended play on Napoleon's old line about what he wanted from his generals, added: "A lot of people say it's better to be lucky than good. I'd rather be Roger than lucky."

What chance of joining Don Budge and Rod Laver (twice) as the only men to have won the big four titles in the same year?

Events yesterday meant this year might have been his chance, had he not lost a terrific five-set final to the world's fittest athlete, Nadal, at the Australian Open in January.

Still, Wimbledon next month, where he was unbeatable for five straight years until last June, gives him the opportunity to eclipse Sampras.

World No 1 Nadal, his Parisian nemesis for the last three years, will be defending the crown he won last year. Relentlessness and power versus sublime strokeplay and elegance, both in their own distinctive ways capable of drawing gasps of appreciation.

"If one guy deserves it, that's him," said a magnanimous Nadal of yesterday's win.

Amen to that.