"Time!" umpire Pascal Maria calls the pair back from their warm-ups. A roar from the expectant crowd.

Another swig of orange juice from Rafa, Stan glugs down an electrolyte-packed gel.

The Parisians are wafting their match programmes out on Chatrier. It looks like a sauna out there. Luckily no-one is sat there in their trunks or cossie.

Wawrinka was being written off by some critics ahead of Roland Garros.

The Swiss started the clay-court season with a whimper, winning only two of his opening five matches as he suffered eary exits in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.

But he has bounced back - and bounced back in style. He won on home soil in Geneva, and now boasts a 10-match winning streak after breezing through the Roland Garros draw.

Is this an early bit of gamesmanship from Stan? Rafa is well-known for taking ages to get from seat to net for the toss due to his bottle placing routine.

But today, he is the first one to walk into the middle of the court. Stan, purposely it seems, slowing things up to make Rafa wait.

Wawrinka eventually gets there, shakes hands and then Rafa wins the toss. Time for a pre-match photo and then a knock up...

Image source, Reuters

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

Nadal might have won nine French Open titles, he might win a 10th today, but he will struggle to ever win the affection of the locals in the way Gustavo Kuerten did. The Brazilian's three titles around the turn of the century are being honoured by a collection of champions including Stan Smith, who says, "Guga, you're a Hall of Famer." I would have guessed he already was.

Image source, Getty Images

What a beautiful day in Paris! Eye-squinting sun, clear light blue skies punctured only by odds clumps of wispy cloud.

Barely an empty seat in Chatrier as the two players arrive from the locker room. Both stride out holding hands with a ball-kid, using the other arm to wave to their adoring fans.

Rafa has a good gulp of orange juice, then meticulously places his bottles and towels down next to his chair. Nadal's definitely the type of bloke who has all his kitchen spices neatly arranged in alphabetical order.

Ryan Jones: It has to be one of the best i mean even winning 10 grand slams is hard never mind the same exact grand slam 10 times

Kevin Geddes: Has to be up there as the best ever tennis achievement

Andy Finlayson: Winning the same Grand Slam 10x has to be greatest achievement, can't see that ever happening again, he could end up with 12 French Opens

Image source, Getty Images

As well as the shiny Coupe des Mousquetaires, a whopping £1.8m of prize money and bucket-loads of pride to play for, there are also an extra 800 ranking points.

The winner gets 2000 rankings points, with the runner-up having to settle for 1200. Which means the triumphant player will climb up to second in the world behind Andy Murray.

Novak Djokovic, after his quarter-final defeat by Dominic Thiem, drops down to fourth.

Image source, #bbctennis

A VIP has arrived at Chatrier. Nope, not Nicole Kidman. And not legendary French canoeist Tony Estanguet.

Well, that unlikely couple are there. Kidman and Estanguet have the honour leading out the Coupe des Mousquetaires, delicately-placed in a wooden case, plonking it on a seat overlooking the court.

The players will, literally, have their eye on the prize.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

If Spanish fans have become accustomed to success, Swiss fans still have an air of disbelief that they are regularly heading to Grand Slam finals that do no involve you know who.

Wawrinka has become the most feared man in majors over the last four years, capable of emerging at least once a year to make even the very best look feeble.

"Allez Stan!" flows as naturally for the Paris crowd as his backhand winners, and he will have a sizeable section of the crowd with him, no matter how many times Nadal has won the title.

Wawrinka has continued his habit of peaking for at least one Grand Slam tournament a year since that breakthrough win in Australia in 2014.

The Swiss then won the French Open in 2015, and last year added the US Open, leaving him tied with Murray on three majors and within reach of a career Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

"Mentally, when I arrive on a big tournament or in a big match, it's like closing, switching off everything in my body except my brain, which I put in winning mode," he said.

"Of course, I can lose, but I think I'm extremely confident about what I do, about how I feel, about all the hard work I have accomplished over the past days, weeks, months, years.

"I know that mentally when I'm there, it's difficult to beat me."

Stan Wawrinka has spent five hours longer on court than Rafael Nadal during the tournament.

Give that man a coffee.

Image source, .

Rafa Nadal has been in imperious form over the past fortnight, swatting opponents aside quicker than someone attacking a pesky fly with a rolled-up newspaper.

The Spaniard has not lost a set on his way here, although Stan Wawrinka has only dropped a couple - both against Andy Murray in Friday's epic semi-final.

Here's how they have done it...

Stephen Bignall: Can't relate it to anything. Winning 10 slams at the same venue is very unique. Tennis will never see the like again.

Is it a bird?

Is it a plane?

No, it's...

Image source, @staffsky

Image source, Reuters

His beloved Real Madrid have already won 'La Decima' after becoming European champions on 10 occasions. Now Rafa Nadal is within one win of his own version.

Victory would bring Nadal his 15th Grand Slam title, moving him above Pete Sampras into second on the all-time list, behind Roger Federer on 18.

It would also deliver the French Open for the 10th time; only Margaret Court, with 11 Australian Open titles, has won one of the Grand Slam trophies more often.

But Nadal has been keen to talk down any pressure surrounding 'La Decima', saying: "I think I don't make more history, it's enough. Nine are more than good."

Yeah, right Rafa...

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

Spanish fans must know the route to Roland Garros pretty well by now, after nine years of unbroken Nadal success followed by Garbine Muguruza taking the honours last year, and they are out in force once again.

Spanish voices are everywhere, with Nadal's manager Carlos Costa among them as he passed unnoticed though the crowd, deep in conversation. His phone will have been busy again this year.

Nadal is the one athlete who can rival the stars of Real Madrid, Barca, Atletico etc for attention in his homeland. "Paris calls for the Nadal Decima," says Spanish sports paper Marca. Stan might have something to say about that.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Reuters

If Stan is plugged into the mains then we know his power can blow anyone off the court. Even Rafa.

The Swiss third seed hit 87 winners as he beat world number one Andy Murray in the semi-finals.

"It's true that when he hits hard, he hits really hard. Stopping him can be difficult," says Nadal.

"I know he's dangerous when he plays aggressively, so I need to limit his possibilities.

"I will play very aggressively, and I don't want him to take control - easy to say, but it may not be that easy to do."

Earlier Stan let us know through his Instagram account how he prepares for a major final...

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BBC Radio 5 live

You can listen to build-up to the men's final on BBC Radio 5 live right now. The link is at the top of this page.

There will be full commentary from 14:00 BST, with former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash joining Russell Fuller behind the microphone.