The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Monte Carlo

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal face a high-stakes examination in this millionaires playground this week with Serbian jokerman Novak Djokovic poised to play a crucial trump card.

Federer reached his first final of the year in Estoril at the weekend after cracks began to show in the world number one's armour in a season which began with world number three Djokovic relieving him of his Australian Open title.

The Swiss superstar, with 12 Grand Slam titles in his collection, battled gamely through to the semi-finals in Melbourne despite being laid low by glandular fever.

He then endured a first round exit at the hands of Andy Murray in Dubai, was beaten in the Indian Wells Masters semi- finals by American journeyman Mardy Fish and then fell to Andy Roddick in the last eight in Miami.

It was the worst possible preparation for the claycourt season in which Federer hopes to finally win a French Open title and become just the fifth man in history to secure a career Grand Slam.

"I was sick as a dog at the start of 2008," said Federer.

"But I disagree with those people who say I'm playing bad. I'm on the verge of playing great again, that's what I'm looking at."

Federer has lost the last two finals here to Nadal who is chasing a fourth successive Monte Carlo title; his three previous wins have prefaced three French Open triumphs.

But the Spaniard is without a title since winning on the Stuttgart clay last July and doubts have been raised over whether or not his undying love for dirtball tennis is beginning to wreak havoc on his knees and joints.

The 21-year-old Nadal has also come up short against Djokovic this year losing to the colourful Serbian in the semi-finals in Indian Wells.

Nadal has also been a runner-up at Chennai and Miami, where he was beaten by world number four Nikolay Davydenko, and saw his Australian Open campaign ended by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals.

But the muscular left- hander is not pressing the panic button especially when he can boast a claycourt record of 107 wins in 110 matches and 17 titles on his favourite surface in the last three years.

"We have only played three months in the season," Nadal said after his defeat to Davydenko at the end of March.

"Roger has lost more than usual, but he's not far away from his level."

For the first time in three years, the Federer-Nadal Grand Slam double act is under threat in the shape of 20-year-old Djokovic who has collected the Australian Open and Indian Wells Masters titles.

"Djokovic is unbelievable," admitted Nadal.

Whether the Serbian can remain that way during the European claycourt season remains to be seen.

Two of his nine titles have come on clay but Djokovic is keen to dampen expectations here having never got beyond the third round in his two previous visits.

"There are a lot of expectations as the third best player in the world, and the first player in the world this year," said the 20-year-old.

"I have had the best results so far. Obviously clay is not my favorite surface, but I can still play good tennis."

The Monte Carlo Masters will also witness Gustavo Kuerten's final appearance on the Riviera before he drags his battered body and bruised pride into retirement.

The former world number one, whose ranking slumped to 924 in February before disappearing completely off the radar, is on a farewell tour of events closest to his heart.

That includes here where he was champion in 1999 and 2001 before his career went into a injury-plagued tailspin. The Brazilian's last tournament will be as a wildcard at the French Open where he was a triple champion.