A familiar sight in the Chennai final–known as Stan Wawrinka–will be back on display for championship action on Sunday. Standing in Wawrinka’s way of a fourth title at this event is Borna Coric.
Death, taxes, and Stan Wawrinka the final of the Aircel Chennai Open. Those are pretty much the three certainties of life.
Wawrinka will contest his fifth Chennai title match in his eighth appearance at the tournament, and all five have come in his last seven trips. The fourth-ranked Swiss lost the first time to Marin Cilic (2010) but has since reeled off three titles (2011, 2014, 2015). He has had absolutely no trouble booking his spot in yet another Sunday finish. So far this week Wawrinka has cruised in straight sets past Andrey Rublev, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and Benoit Paire, and no set has been more competitive than 6-4.
Up next for the top seed is a third career meeting with Coric. They faced each other last year in Chennai, where Wawrinka rolled 6-1, 6-4. A more competitive contest at the Cincinnati Masters saw the veteran overcome the upstart 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-3.
Coric is though to his first-ever ATP final thanks to an impressively grueling run. The 19-year-old Croat needed three sets to get past Marcel Granollers, Roberto Baustista Agut, and Aljaz Bedene. Only in the second round against Austin Krajicek did Coric advance in straights. His semifinal showdown with Bedene lasted two hours and 56 minutes.
Don’t be surprised if this is reminiscent of the 2008 final, in which Rafael Nadal lost to Mikhail Youzhny. Nadal needed an unreal three hours and 54 minutes to outlast Carlos Moya 6-7(3), 7-6(8), 7-6(1) one day earlier. He promptly got destroyed 6-0, 6-1 by a salivating Youzhny.
Of course the circumstances are not exactly the same. Coric played for one fewer hour and the semis and he would be a heavy underdog against Wawrinka even with every physical resource in his tank. So this result will not be as lopsided or as surprising as the 2008 title match, but Wawrinka is going to coast to another victory in Chennai.
Pick: Wawrinka in 2
[polldaddy poll=9264245]
who ya got?
Stan in 2 6-4 6-2
I think this is going to a straightforward victory for Stan in 2 sets.
Like to imagine Coric at least getting a set but, no. Stan in 2 sets.
no is an understatement
Thanks for posting Moya-Nadal 2008 Chennai, Ricky!
that was EPIC
lost the next day to Colonel winning 1 game!
I missed Coric v Bedene…guess it was good, too.
It’s been hard to find a way to watch Chennai.
Stan in straights
Found a live stream for Chennai final for most of the 2nd set – very happy from what I caught of the match. Coric stomping the learning curve: no noticeable signs of fatigue from his efforts to get to the Final. The 19 yr old managed to get 8 games from Stan the Man. And Stan was being the Man. The beast was off the leash. Stanimal being Stanimal in Chennai 63 75.
Congrats Stan and Borna!
stan is the biggest threat to nole in slams IMO….only player to beat him in both 14 and 15 in slams….
nole won’t fancy another 5 set marathon with him at AO…
stan can hit with such power off both wings….and has a big serve…powerful antidote to nole’s all-court game..
Well? Well said! his tennis can be the, “powerful antidote to Nole’s all-court game.”
Hoping that Boris and Nolefam were scouting that final!!
ha! am sure that boris will have taken note! who would have thought that he and nole would be such a good fit? i never thought that one would work..but he has added things to nole’s game…improvements with serve, better volley but most of all encouragement to take the initiative and play aggressively. keep thinking how rafa could benefit from having an ex great working with him on the same basis ie keeping toni but having fresh ideas and input….have been feeling this since early last year as it feels like there is something wrong now in the dynamic between rafa and his team, something lacking…
credit to nole for always being prepared to look for new options and constantly evolve…
BTW do you think nole would have been as successful if he hadn’t added becker??
It’s hard to say, amy. Completely agree, with hindsight, BB was a brilliant find. Strange coming from me – never been a big Boris fan! Much preferred Stefan Edberg back in the day.
Thinking about who might benefit Rafa…
me and hawks both wanted him to work with cahill…very calming influence…
yeah i prefer edberg to boris..edberg’s volley’s were a thing of beauty…but bb has been gr8 for nole…he has that pugnacious never-say-die attitude which nole needed to tap into…
also i suppose bb had that pugilistic boxer’s thing going on court….would never admit he was knocked out for the count…would just keep getting up and keep on fighting…
Maybe Rafa can steal him from Halep like Fed stole Ljuby.
About the calming influence, Paul Annacone has that effect on me. Not sure how that works for Rafa.
I’m unqualified on this topic, lol…
mmm..not wildly plausible hawks…unfortunately..
not in a very good mood today..
vamosrafa suggested annacone ratcliff…vr’s a brilliant analyst of rafa’s game so you are in good company!!
Annacone?
Well I just hope that your not comparing “calming” with “coma inducing”.
Don’t you?
Or do you.
well coma inducing might be a good antidote for anxiety…the 2 forces might balance each other out and create equilibrium…
You are gonna give me a big head, amy. 2:49 pm.
hahaha, hadn’t heard, coma for Paul A. Better than a box of Quaalude.
I do have some Rafa-like quirks. We’re on the right trail.
Pardon me straying from the topic for a minute, but I posted a clip of Nole v Rafa on Nole’s page and there’s a second or two of Boris Becker’s face – it’s priceless, oh wait…it’s not on that vid., it’s on the Eurosport one where Nole falls down v Dustin Brown. Either of you or anyone know how to get a gif out of Boris’ expression?
You mean how to find a gif or make a gif?
make a gif.
Going to post the video on Nole’s page…in a few…
How’s this?
https://j.gifs.com/qx78Wy.gif
Look at Boris here, please hawk. But I’m sleep deficit now that I can’t remember what I was going to do with it!! Not a good sign.
http://video.eurosport.fr/tennis/atp-doha/2016/video-en-se-tordant-le-genou-sur-un-retour-djokovic-s-est-fait-une-belle-petite-frayeur_vid399849/video.shtml
Ahh too bad. Pretty easy if it’s from youtube. Otherwise more work and I’m just sitting down to watch a replay of the Rogosh match.
Pretty funny expression though. Half the time his reaction is one of knowing he’s on camera and trying to choose the right face.
Great coach for Nole though. And great choice by Nole when everyone thought he was crazy.
yeah… it’s an expression of sensitivity and depth, rarely I’ve associated with Boris. Will post it on Nole’s page for posterity in case I remember what to do with it – think it involved a thought cloud in a still.