French Open defending champion Federer says he has ‘no complex whatsoever’ about facing Nadal

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Federer: ‘No complex whatsoever’ about Nadal

PARIS — Roger Federer insists he has “no complex whatsoever” about facing rival Rafael Nadal, the only man he’s lost to at the French Open over the past five years.

Federer said on Friday that he might acknowledge having a mental block about Nadal if their career series were “50-0 in his favor, but this is not the case.” Federer is 7-14 against Nadal, 2-10 on clay, including a loss to the Spaniard in the final of last week’s Madrid Masters.

Federer lost to Nadal at the French Open in the 2005 semifinals, and the 2006-08 finals.

A year ago, Nadal was upset in the fourth round, and Federer won the title for the first time. Federer says he feels less pressure than ever before entering the French Open, because he proved to himself and “maybe to many other people” he could win it.