Rafa looks to be cruising towards an easy hold, racing 40-0 ahead. Wait... Stan has other ideas. The Swiss third seed pulls that back to 40-30 with a forehand down the line. We've seen that a few times over the past fortnight...

Could this be a chance for Stan to ruin Rafa's momentum? Nope. Nadal blasts an ace down the middle.

* denotes next server

Image source, AFP

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

Both players are struggling at the moment - with the heat and bounce - even Rafa.

My big concern is that Rafa hasn't played the big players in the big matches here.

Image source, Reuters

Norzielus: Wawrinka will have to be careful not to squander the few break points he'll have in this final.

Loser92‏: Nadal let Stan off the hook there twice. He may yet regret those failures to convert break points.

Image source, Getty Images

France's Tony Estanguet, an Olympic canoeing gold medallist in 2000, 2004 and 2012, is sitting next to Australian actress Nicole Kidman in the front row.

Phew! Stan Wawrinka breathes a sigh of relief, then looks up to his box almost to say 'this is going to be a long one, isn't it?!'

A 10-minute service game ends in his favour when two forehands from Nadal's racquet go long.

That break point disappears as quickly as it arrived, but Rafa is not going away quietly. A third break point, a fourth break point... Stan's serve is creaking. Somehow he is hanging on.

Image source, AFP

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

This must be frustrating for Stan. He's hitting one beautifully and then missing the next. He needs to tighten up and get more winners.

Image source, Getty Images

Stan is going to make unforced errors. We know he will. It's a case of seeing how many he can limit them to.

Two more on advantage see him throw away a couple of chance to tie up the hold, then Rafa nails a forehand in the corner of the deuce side to earn another break point...

Now it is Stan's turn to motivate himself with a "Come on!" I'm genuinely fascinated why that English phrase is the go to for both players. I want to hear a "Vamos!" from Rafa.

Anyway... that comes after Rafa clubs a forehand over the baseline on break point.

On we go...

After putting the pressure on Nadal's serve in the previous game, now it is Wawrinka's turn to scramble.

At 30-30, some deep forehands look to have Nadal on the rack, but then Stan lashes another one into the net.

Break point to Nadal...

Nadal attacks the Stan backhand with a serve out wide, the Swiss unable to control his cross-court return.

"Come on!" shouts Rafa as he saves the match's first break point. Wonder why he is shouting in English and not Spanish? Dunno.

The adrenaline is pumping a tad faster through Nadal's veins now, he cracks down an ace to nudge ahead before going on to hold.

Danger averted.

Image source, AFP

Oh hello, here's a chance. Nadal bodges up a backhand and allows Stan to level at 30-30. That gets the Chatrier crowd murmuring.

First little bit of pressure on a service game. Rafa is scampering on the next point after being rocked by a heavy Stan forehand punch, the Spaniard somehow getting the ball back and then batting back a poor smash from the Swiss.

Stan doesn't make the same mistake however. Break point...

Charlene Beedie: Decided to back Nadal for victory. Loved watching his comeback and missed him and his form. Come on Rafa.

Spaniels Rule: Team Nadal all the way, been a joy to watch him over last many years. great to see Stan in another final too. Heart with Rafa.

Image source, Reuters

Wawrinka lumps a forehand into the net for 0-15, battling back to 30-15 ahead with the first ace of the afternoon. Well over 125mph that one. Told you he had power.

Rafa is swinging at fresh air as a rocket of a forehand comes cross-court. That was touching 100mph too.

Two games, two simple enough holds.

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

It's hot, bouncing conditions and this is what Rafa likes. He's won so many big matches on this centre court. It bounces slightly higher than any other clay court in the world. These conditions are what he's grown up with in Spain.

Image source, Reuters

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

It's a thumping 29C in the shade of the media seats so the two players are in for a punishing afternoon. Wawrinka's four-and-a-half-hour semi-final against Andy Murray could take effect if this one goes long as well. The conditions are also generally thought to favour Nadal, who likes it hot and dry to get that topspin fizzing off the surface without picking up any damp clay. Although Wawrinka could muscle a medicine ball around a tennis court if required, so expect his groundstrokes to be extra pacey early on.

A steady hold gets Rafa on the board in the opening game.

Nadal scampers forward to smash down an overhead for 30-30. That nearly puts dent in the court. Wawrinka can't get a forehand from the baseline back over the net for 40-0, doing the same moments later following a brief Rafa forehand-Stan backhand baseline rally.

Over to you Stan...

Right then, are we all set? This could be a classic. Rafa to serve first.

Game on!

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

It is very hot out there. we had a couple of hot days last week but this is as hot as it's been. There's fast conditions and the court is drying out quickly.

Nadal is the fresher of the two but Stan has a great ability to recover. It may come down to who is fitter.