Ferrero the rocket ready to extend the reign of Spain

Spanish domination of the men's event at the French Open comes, rather like the Olympics and World Cup, in four-year cycles. In 1994 Sergi Bruguera beat Alberto Berasategui, in 1998 Carlos Moya overcame Alex Corretja and this afternoon Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 22-year-old with the face of a choirboy and the forehand of an angel, takes on Albert Costa for the first prize of £487,500.

Roland Garros is guaranteed a new champion, since this is the first Grand Slam final for both men. Ferrero, named after his country's king, is due for an appointment with destiny, having lost in the semi-finals for the past two years to the eventual champion, Gustavo Kuerten. This time Costa took care of Kuerten, building an impressive surge which clearly he finds difficult to believe, since he has gone 65 tournaments without success since winning Kitzbühel in 1999.

It is perhaps a dangerous sign for the 26-year-old Costa that, after putting out his friend and neighbour Corretja, who will be the best man at his wedding on Friday, in the semi-finals, he pronounced: "This is the moment of my life."

If true, today could prove an anti-climax for someone who has won 11 titles, all on clay, in his nine professional years but who is regarded as more journeyman than genius and who struggles to avoid anonymity. Indeed, the first question to Costa at his semi-final media conference was from a Spanish journalist who called him Alex rather than Albert.

Perhaps Costa's best hope of underlining the moment of his life lies in the various ailments afflicting the slender body of Ferrero. At the start of the year he was sidelined by knee problems and a stress fracture of the right foot. Then, in the second round here, he sprained an ankle and contemplated withdrawal. And in his semi-final against Marat Safin, he sustained a small tear in an abdominal muscle. Hardly a hale and hearty endorsement for a final which could endure for five sets and several hours.

Both have already put in plenty of time on the punishment pit that is the clay of Paris. Ferrero's six victories have seen him win 18 sets and lose five in a total time of 16 hours 21 minutes, while Costa's record is 18 sets won and four lost in 17 hours, seven minutes. Though Ferrero has the higher seeding (11 to Costa's 20) and the better record in a season which has seen him capture the Masters Series of Monte Carlo, Costa can boast impressive statistics against fellow-Spaniards, having won eight successive matches.

The chances of extending that streak to nine do not look overly promising, despite their head-to-head record of two victories each and the fact that Costa came out on top when they met at the Masters Series of Hamburg last month. Ferrero correctly accords Costa deep respect. "Nobody is the favourite," he insisted. "Albert is a very solid player. It's difficult to drive him out of the court, it's almost as if he had a wind pump behind him. It's difficult to make him lose but I'm going to try because I have made up my mind to win this tournament. But whatever happens it is going to be a party, a Spanish party."

Safin, who played Ferrero on a regular basis when he was living in Spain as a junior, paid tribute to the improvement shown by the young man from the small town of Onteniente. "When he was a kid, Juan Carlos couldn't hit the ball, he was making lobs all the time. But now the guy is attacking, he is serving well, he's changed a lot since I saw him the first time when I was 14. He is now pretty impressive." Too impressive for Costa, it would appear, as long as his body holds together.