Costa aims to reign on Spanish parade

Albert Costa knows he will have to be at his swashbuckling best tomorrow if he is to defeat compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero in the French Open final and lift the coveted Musketeers Cup for the first time in his career.

This year’s battle for the men’s French Open title on the clay of Roland Garros has been turned into something of a Spanish party with defending champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil ousted - by Costa - along with all the top seeds.

And that has paved the way for an all-Spanish final for the first time since Carlos Moya defeated Alex Corretja in 1998.

While the 26-year-old Costa has been the surprise of the tournament with his run to the final, Ferrero, the 11th seed, at 22 is arguably the best clay court player around and is seen as the future of Spanish tennis.

Both men enter the match with the prospect of a first-ever Grand Slam title and the winner, whether it is Costa or Ferrero, will rise to number two in the Champions Race, while the runner-up will take over the number five spot.

It all makes for a mouth-watering final in Paris and Costa is determined to seize his chance of glory.

‘‘It’s a great moment for me,’’ said Costa, who is getting married next week with Corretja as his best man.

‘‘I tell you, it’s great, great. In tennis, this is the greatest moment I’ve ever had, for sure.

‘‘For sure I’m going to play with ambition, with the same way like I was playing the other days - same way - like if it was first round.

‘‘You have to fight to the death in order to be able to win.’’

Ferrero is delighted with the chance of claiming his first Grand Slam and he described tomorrow’s encounter as a ‘‘Spanish party’’.

‘‘It’s my first final, it’s an unbelievable experience for me,’’ he said.

‘‘I made up my mind to win this tournament, and the objective is not really achieved until you come to the final and you win it.’’

‘‘I’m playing against another Spaniard so I think it’s a Spanish party in the final. So for sure we are going to enjoy the match.’’

The two Spanish friends have met four times previously, and each has claimed two wins.

Costa won their last meeting at this year’s Hamburg Masters Series 2-6 6-3 6-4, but he has not won a tournament in 65 appearances - his last tournament win came at Kitzbuhel in 1999.

Ferrero has a 6-4 career record in finals, the last of which he won earlier this year in Monte Carlo.

Both players are fluid baseliners and clay court specialists but the similarities do not end there.

Each staved off near eliminations in earlier matches. Costa came back from two sets to one down against Argentina’s Guillermo Canas, while Ferrero did the same against another Argentinian, Gaston Gaudio, in the fourth round.

Despite his loss to Costa in Hamburg, Ferrero will be the favourite to take his first Grand Slam when he walks on court tomorrow.

But the Onteniente-born star is refusing to talk up his chances.

‘‘I don’t think about who is the favourite because, you know, the last time I lost against Albert Costa in Hamburg, and the other matches I won in three sets,’’ he said.

‘‘So I’m thinking that I have to go to play my best tennis, to try to give my best mentally on the court, and that’s all. I don’t have to think about who is the favourite because I don’t think that anybody can be considered the favourite in a final.’’