For people who needed a little more evidence to believe Rafael Nadal has all that is needed to end Roger Federer’s five-year domination at Wimbledon, they would have finally been convinced after seeing the Spaniard stamping his authority on anyone and everyone so far at Wimbledon.

Federer is also having a wonderful time once again at SW19, seeming to have made a statement to his challenger that "this is grass and I am the king". But deep down, the Spaniard will be very confident of creating an upset this time around. He will know that this is his best chance to floor the great Federer at the Mecca of tennis. He knows he is starting to scare the world No.1 as his game improves by the day.

The way he turned a battle between superstars in the French Open final in Paris into a complete mismatch and made the king look like a novice, he would know for sure that another setback may just be the last nail in the coffin of the 12-time Grand Slam winner.

Everything from the age factor to agility on the field is starting to turn in Rafa's favour. Federer is just short of his 27th birthday, making him a year older than Bjorn Borg was when he took early retirement. Nadal will know his best chance of beating Federer anywhere other than on clay will be to take him to five sets and try to run him out of steam.

With his muscular physique, Nadal has great speed and terrific determination to run and return shots that anyone else would just let go. He knows that if Federer is an artist, he is a wrecker. He knows that, though he is not as elegant as the Swiss master, his delivery has got much better and will be key in his attempts to stop the king from winning his sixth consecutive title. This is the reason Federer keeps hiring young left-handed players to practise with to give him a deeper understanding of Nadal’s game.

Nadal has always been calm and composed during his victories against the world No.1. Anyone who witnessed the French Open final will have seen how Nadal skipped his usual celebration of falling down and rolling on clay - it was a purposeful strategy not to antagonise his worthy opponent. The way he has always praised Federer, especially of late, means he is not giving even the smallest reason for Federer to fight with extra zeal and passion.

Another thing the Mallorcan would have definitely have noticed in the French Open final was the way his opponent's body language told him he knew he was beaten, that Nadal was inching closer to victory. The never-say-die attitude for which Federer is so well known had disappeared.

Federer is still the favourite to triumph at Wimbledon - he has never lost a grass court final and his performances this time around suggest he won't want that to change any time soon. But, as they say, there's a first time for everything.

It's been a case of so near yet so far for Rafa at SW19, but one thing's for sure: he won't give up no matter how hard the battle. As Robert Frost once said: "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep; and miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep."