Johnny Watterson on how Rafael Nadal has refined his grass game to the point where the legendary Bjorn Borg reckons he will usurp Roger Federer

THERE WAS a breathless sequence of play in the Roland Garros semi-final earlier this month when Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were performing at such an elevated level the usually boisterous French crowd fell silent. Mesmerised by the frequency with which Nadal could hit winners off his forehand side from behind the baseline and his ability to find purchase on the most acutely angled balls, the crowd knew they were witnessing a growing force of nature the likes of which no one had seen since the days of Bjorn Borg.

Two weeks later the four-times French Open Champion Nadal was doing the same thing, metaphorically beating up the American Andy Roddick in the semi-final of the Artois tournament at the Queen's club in west London. As he did at Roland Garros, Nadal advanced to win the final. At Queen's it was Djokovic, the world number three, he put to the sword to become the first Spaniard in 36 years to win a grass-court tournament.

Importantly for Nadal's plans for world dominance, the Queen's win was on the surface on which Federer has been so majestically peerless. That Nadal had beaten Roddick in the semi-final further gilded the tournament win. Roddick had, in the absence of Federer, who plays pre-Wimbledon at Halle, won the event in four of the last five years.

Following the semi-final, Roddick was seen to storm off the court, as much disgusted as dismayed at having been so comprehensively beaten by a player who had carved out his name on clay. At that point his sense was the incomparable Nadal was almost unbeatable and to the American the Spaniard's elevation from a one-surface player to a grass powerhouse revealed itself like an unwanted epiphany. Nothing the 2003 US Open champion could do unduly troubled his opponent.

The 22-year-old from Majorca has now won 17 successive matches in three weeks, which augurs well for him as he chases another one of Borg's records.

In Paris, Nadal matched Borg's run of four consecutive wins and last week mirrored him again when he stepped successfully from the terre battue at Roland Garros and won his next tournament on grass. But even Borg never felt confident enough to put his game on the line between the French Open and Wimbledon.

After winning in Paris, the Swede always insisted on two weeks of intensive practice on grass at the Cumberland Club, north London. It seemed to work quite well for him as no one has since won the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, as he last did in 1980. Nadal has made the switch without the slightest downturn in form or belief. Last Sunday, it appeared the pretender to Federer's grass crown had finally "transitioned".

"Rafa's just so match sharp right now," admitted Roddick, "he's almost in cruise control."

But the five-times Wimbledon champion Federer refused to be intimidated by Nadal's emergence.

"I already know he can play on grass," he said flatly, "but Queen's is not Wimbledon."

Much has been made of the surface at Wimbledon being slowed down. Organisers started to use 100 per cent perennial ryegrass seed in 2001 to provide a stronger bind more able for the wear-and-tear of two weeks of continual usage. That change, bemoaned by the serving and volleying Tim Henman, suited the clay-court players of the world.

Regardless of Federer's coolly delivered observation that Wimbledon is indeed different in many ways, the speed reduction, as well as Nadal adding more features to his game, evidently makes for further headaches for the Swiss player. Federer, too, is seeking to usurp one of Borg's records. Having equalled him last year with his fifth Wimbledon (Borg won from 1976 to 1980), he hopes to go one better with a sixth consecutive win.

In this case, the key for Nadal and the probable conundrum for Federer, assuming the tournament unfolds according to the rankings, is Nadal's incredibly powerful and viciously spinning cross-court forehand.

The topspin makes the ball kick up high, and because Nadal plays left-handed the ball is relentlessly delivered punching waist to shoulder high onto Federer's backhand.

Federer's backhand is world-class but because of his grip and technique, he prefers the ball to be a little lower. On grass he will get it lower as the ball skids more than it would on clay, but Nadal's power ensures the ball still kicks high enough to force the number one to hit returns while reaching.

When that happens Federer can struggle. He may get it back but will often drop the ball a little short of the baseline on Nadal's side of the net and occasionally into the centre of the court.

Nadal then controls the point. He moves around the ball to take it on his forehand and has the whole court open to him. The choices are varied. He can hit to his opponent's backhand side again, aim into the open space on the forehand, or, as he did successfully at Roland Garros, try a drop shot.

To counteract Nadal's left arm - surely a transplanted bodybuilder's limb - Federer will repeatedly try to hit his backhand straight up the line. That forces the Spaniard to play to the Federer return off his own backhand. But returning the ball over the high side of the net and with inch-perfect pitch off a hot lefty's serve presents even the most accomplished player in the world with difficulty.

Federer has his own long list of weaponry and tricks to addle Nadal but the most recent meeting in France showed a crushed and demoralised Federer off-key, while Nadal was singing the high notes beautifully.

"For grass surface, I improve some things, no?" said Nadal after winning at Queen's. "The serve is important. But I play more slices, changing the way of the point with slice sometimes. That's important because you can play with different rhythms. For the opponent, that's more difficult. When you play against, for example, Roger, and Roger gives you one slice and later he puts the forehand with topspin, it is a big change during the point. Especially on grass it's very difficult, no?

"So I worked very hard during all the years for improve these things.

"And right now I feel I improve. But if I want to continue to be in this position, I have to continue to improve always."

The point Nadal was making is that although he has more power available to him than any other player in the history of the game, his tactics do not always rely on pounding his opponents off the court. Opponents like Federer and Djokovic can handle the power but the left-handedness, the improved serve, the variation in his game, his athleticism and, now, his greater understanding of grass present the Spaniard as a more rounded package.

In France, Federer also spoke of his frustration at playing against a player who effectively plays with two forehands. As with a footballer with two equally strong sides, Nadal's backhand is also a weapon. As he is right-handed but plays tennis with his left, both sides contain the natural strengths associated with ambidexterity.

"Nadal and Djokovic played unbelievable grasscourt tennis in the final at Queen's. If Nadal survives the first three rounds he is my favourite to win. My second choice is Djokovic and my third is Federer," said Borg in London this week.

"Nadal is serving better, moving better, playing a bit more aggressively. I think he's found the 100 per cent point where he knows how to handle his grasscourt game. He's 100 per cent sure. You can see his confidence. To beat them both, Federer must play better than last year."

After Queen's, Nadal did what he wanted to do even before the tournament began. He sought the sanctuary of home, took out his boat and went fishing. During Queen's he needed treatment for blisters on a hand and admitted the gruelling clay season combined with the intensity of winning his first event on grass had left him flat. Without doubt he will return fully charged.

"When I was young, my goal was to play Wimbledon, no? Only play there. For sure I watch Wimbledon. And Wimbledon always was very, very special for me. For me, to have two finals there is a dream. For sure my dream always gonna be have a title there, no?" said Nadal after beating Djokovic.

Nadal has provided similar sound bites after winning Roland Garros, but the difference between this year and last year is his dream of playing Wimbledon has evolved into a dream of winning the tournament.

With the title would come the repositioning of him as a more accomplished tennis player. He would continue to be the king of dirt but no longer be just a claycourt champion.

Like Federer, Nadal seeks greatness in the game, and how poignant it is the two have had to walk in the footprints of Borg to achieve their aims. For both that requires another title, Wimbledon.

Nadal's head is evidently in London and on grass. The important question is whether Federer's is still shattered on the clay of Paris.

"Like Federer, Nadal seeks greatness in the game and how poignant it is the two have had to walk in the footprints of Borg to achieve their aims. For both players that requires another title, Wimbledon.