Thoughts of a Nadal showdown can wait, says Federer

PARIS, May 25 (Reuters) World number one Roger Federer has said it is too early for him to even consider a possible showdown with defending champion Rafael Nadal at the French Open.

''The rivalry with Nadal is a wonderful story,'' Federer told French sports daily L'Equipe today.

''But right now, I am focusing on the early rounds and on my own game,'' the 24-year-old Swiss added. ''Because the first players I'm going to meet are very different from Nadal.'' Federer arrives in Paris aiming to capture the only grand slam title he has yet to win, but faces the prospect of having to defeat a player who boasts a 5-1 winning record against the seven times major winner.

With the Swiss and the Spaniard taking the top two seeds, they cannot meet before the final in Roland Garros, which starts on Sunday.

Despite being ranked the lower of the two, Nadal has developed quite a stranglehold on Federer this season, beating him in finals at Dubai, Monte Carlo and Rome.

The last two victories were on clay, a surface on which the Spaniard has built an unbeaten run of 53 straight matches to equal Guillermo Vilas' claycourt record set 29 years ago.

Undaunted, Federer said he was relishing the challenge as it was a way for him to improve.

''It has been a long time since I had to ask myself the question 'how can I beat this opponent?','' he said.

''But I think my best chance of winning here will come either this year or in the next few.'' REUTERS PM SSC1553