Madrid win lifts Federer for tilt at French Open

Defeating claycourt king Rafael Nadal on Sunday has convinced Roger Federer the pieces are falling into place to enable him to seize the Spaniard's French Open crown and win the only grand slam title that eludes him.

The Swiss world number two has lost to Nadal in the final at Roland Garros the past three years and fell to his 22-year-old rival in the semi-finals in 2005.

He said his 6-4 6-4 victory over number one Nadal in the Madrid Open final on clay had come at the perfect time with the French Open starting in Paris later on this month.

"I think everything is falling into place. I kind of felt it coming the last few weeks," Federer, 27, told a news conference.

"This year it looked like other guys might be moving up but I always knew that I was going to get stronger week by week on clay," he added.

"So it's a nice feeling and I'm very excited going into Paris now whereas maybe a couple of weeks ago I was still a little bit unsure about my game and not sure whether I could win the French and now that's changed."

Federer said Nadal was unlikely to be affected too much by only his fifth defeat on his favoured surface in 155 matches since the start of 2005.

"I snapped his streak at 81 a couple of years ago and it didn't really bother him too much," he said, referring to his victory over Nadal in the final of the 2007 Hamburg Masters.

"I don't think he's going to take any damage away from this. He's played so well in Monaco, Barcelona and Rome that this is probably the best claycourt season he's had.

"So I'm sure he's going to be rock solid in Paris again."

Speaking at a separate news conference, Nadal said the Madrid Open - a new clay event this year with faster courts than Paris that better suit Federer's game - could not be compared with the French Open.

"I don't think there is too much to analyse from this defeat," he said.

"He broke my serve twice and that was that, I was on my way home. I don't think it will make any difference at Roland Garros."