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French connection

Roger Federer is unbeaten in his last 12 matches © Getty Images

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Roger Federer has won titles all over the world, but Paris has not traditionally been a happy hunting ground for the Swiss.

When the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, burst onto the scene in 2005, it looked like the French Open was off limits for Federer. Like Pete Sampras before him, it looked like a career Grand Slam may be a bridge too far.

But in 2009, an unlikely defeat for Nadal paved the way for an historic victory for Federer - who claimed the one major title that had eluded him, thanks in part to Robin Soderling and Rafa's dodgy knees.

With 13 majors already under his belt, Federer had an astonishing record in grand slam finals, having lost just five in that period - three of those on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"It might be the greatest victory of my career," said an emotional Federer. "It takes away so much pressure. Now I can play in peace for the rest of my career. Nobody will never tell me again that I have not won Roland Garros. It's nice to be up here on the podium as a winner this time."

The status quo may have been restored with Nadal winning back-to-back French Opens, but while it may not have ended in a title, Federer's greatest victory this season was arguably on the clay in Paris. Federer achieved something no other player had managed in 2011 - beating Novak Djokovic.

Regardless of what happens in London next week, nothing can take away from the year Djokovic has had. He may be paying the price for his exertions earlier in the year, but up to and including the US Open, Djokovic was virtually invincible.

Between last year's Davis Cup final and his victory at Flushing Meadows, Djokovic had just two defeats to his name; one came in the final of the Cincinnati Masters where he retired injured against Andy Murray - the very same shoulder injury that is currently causing him real problems.

Federer completed the career Grand Slam in Paris in 2009 © Getty Images

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Before that, it was just one defeat in 60 matches, and that came at the hands of Federer, in Paris no less. Granted, the Swiss did not go on and win the title, but it was another great memory for him to add to his postcard from Paris.

Djokovic had won seven titles in a row and had amassed a winning streak of 43 matches. Having picked up titles on the clay in Madrid and Rome, the sensible money was on Djokovic - especially given he'd had four days' rest after Fabio Fognini offered him the walkover in the quarter-finals.

But Federer - the last man to beat Djokovic, in the semi-finals of last year's ATP World Tour Finals - ended the Serb's remarkable run of 43 unbeaten matches.

By Federer's incredibly lofty standards, it has not been his greatest year. It will be the first year since 2003 that he will end the year without a major trophy in his possession. He endured a ten-month title drought, and he has slipped outside the world's top three for the first time in over eight years.

Wimbledon may no longer be the fortress it once was for Federer, but Paris has been good to him this year, and at the ninth time of asking, he finally got his hands on the Paris Masters trophy.

Having won the first tournament of the year in Doha, Federer fired a real statement of intent ahead of London, winning the final match of the regular ATP Tour season, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets. Tsonga condemned Federer to defeat at Wimbledon (the first time he has lost a grand slam match after being two sets up), then repeated the feat in Montreal.

But Federer was in no mood for upsets in Paris. Speaking after his victory, he admitted he had not slept well and was suffering with a cold. He may have been feeling under the weather, but you would never have guessed. It may not have been a faultless performance, nor a classic final, but it was reminiscent of the Federer of old.

It was a commanding display from a player who has seemingly remembered how to win trophies. In the space of a fortnight Federer has gone from a player who had not won a title in ten months, to the favourite to win the year-end championship for a sixth time.

A handwritten banner in the Paris crowd read: Come on Roger - 1 Basel, 2 Paris, 3 London. And you wouldn't bet against it.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.