Is Federer now closer to beating Nadal at Roland Garros?

[BULLZ1LLA]

(2011.....7-5 7-6[3] 5-7 6-1
2008.....6-1 6-3 6-0
2007.....6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2006.....1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6[4]
2005.....6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3

Points won:
2011.....Nadal 52%
2008.....Nadal 63%
2007.....Nadal 53%
2006.....Nadal 52%
2005.....Nadal 52%

Federer break points converted:
2011.....5/15
2008.....1/4
2007.....1/17
2006.....3/10
2005.....6/12

Can't really conclude much from those stats as far as recent improvement goes. 2008 was a rarity, and overall the gap between the 2 has been similar since 2005. Federer did lead 5-2 in the 1st set at this year's final, but I guess that wasn't as impressive as 2006 when he won the first set 6-1)

[oberyn3]

(2011.....7-5 7-6[3] 5-7 6-1
2008.....6-1 6-3 6-0
2007.....6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2006.....1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6[4]
2005.....6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3

Points won:
2011.....Nadal 52%
2008.....Nadal 63%
2007.....Nadal 53%
2006.....Nadal 52%
2005.....Nadal 52%

Federer break points converted:
2011.....5/15
2008.....1/4
2007.....1/17
2006.....3/10
2005.....6/12

Can't really conclude much from those stats as far as recent improvement goes. 2008 was a rarity, and overall the gap between the 2 has been similar since 2005. Federer did lead 5-2 in the 1st set at this year's final, but I guess that wasn't as impressive as 2006 when he won the first set 6-1)

It's tough to say. Like you said, he was definitely closest in 2006, and not just because he won the first set. Fed had his chances in the 3rd and had gained significant momentum late in the 4th set after coming back from a break down to force a tiebreaker.

Nadal's not unbeatable at Roland Garros, and his 2011 performance wasn't on par with the way he blitzed through the field in 2008 and 2010. I can see his level dipping enough to the point where an in-form Federer can beat him, but I'm not sure if that's necessarily the same thing as Federer having gotten "closer".

[BULLZ1LLA]

(2011.....7-5 7-6[3] 5-7 6-1
2008.....6-1 6-3 6-0
2007.....6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2006.....1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6[4]
2005.....6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3

Points won:
2011.....Nadal 52%
2008.....Nadal 63%
2007.....Nadal 53%
2006.....Nadal 52%
2005.....Nadal 52%

Federer break points converted:
2011.....5/15
2008.....1/4
2007.....1/17
2006.....3/10
2005.....6/12

Can't really conclude much from those stats as far as recent improvement goes. 2008 was a rarity, and overall the gap between the 2 has been similar since 2005. Federer did lead 5-2 in the 1st set at this year's final, but I guess that wasn't as impressive as 2006 when he won the first set 6-1)

It's tough to say. Like you said, he was definitely closest in 2006, and not just because he won the first set. Fed had his chances in the 3rd and had gained significant momentum late in the 4th set after coming back from a break down to force a tiebreaker.

Nadal's not unbeatable at Roland Garros, and his 2011 performance wasn't on par with the way he blitzed through the field in 2008 and 2010. I can see his level dipping enough to the point where an in-form Federer can beat him, but I'm not sure if that's necessarily the same thing as Federer having gotten "closer".

(Yes 2012 RG will be very telling, because this year either Nadal was just really tense about equaling Borg's 6 RG titles, or he genuinely is losing his level on clay. He was very defensive minded this year, compared to last year. Chasing 7 RGs won't be easy mentally either though. That's the difficulty later in the career, is records put more pressure on)

[Raps in 4]

Seeing as he is a year older now, I'd say he's even further away.

[kenneyy88]

No his backhand is just not good of a weapon on the clay court.

[Hero]

Highly unlikely.
As a tennis expert I'd give the odds something like...

Nadal 65%
Djokovic 25%
Federer 10%

This depends on the draw as well.

[Yoga]

Seeing as he is a year older now, I'd say he's even further away.