The U.S. Open title is coming down to the top two players in the world–Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Sunday’s championship match pits the game’s best against each other at this stage of a second major in succession.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be meeting for the 42nd time in their careers when they battle for the U.S. Open title on Sunday afternoon.
The head-to-head series could not be any closer, to the extent that it may be all tied up again by the time this one ends. Federer holds a 21-20 edge after beating Djokovic 7-6(1), 6-3 in this summer’s Cincinnati final. Djokovic, however, has won three of their five 2015 encounters–including a 7-6(1), 6-7(10), 6-4, 6-3 victory in the Wimbledon championship match. The Serb is 7-6 at his rival’s expense in Grand Slams despite losing four of their first five such showdowns.
Since toppling Djokovic in Cincinnati, an on-fire Federer has not looked back. Playing without question the best tennis in the world right now, Federer has not lost a set so far this fortnight. The 34-year-old Swiss punched his ticket to the title match by disposing of Leonardo Mayer, Steve Darcis, Philipp Kohlschreiber, John Isner, Richard Gasquet, and Stan Wawrinka. Only Isner pushed him to a pair of tiebreakers and nobody else even came within 7-5 in any set.
An aggressive Federer is striking winners from all over the court and he has continued to execute the Sneak Attack By Roger (SABR) tactic–although to what extent depends on the opponent. The world No. 2 never did it against Isner for obvious reasons, but he fared well with it on occasion versus Djokovic in Cincinnati.
“For me, if it makes sense–which I think it does–I’ll use it in the finals,” Federer commented. “I used it to great effect against [Djokovic] in the tough situation at 4-1 in the ‘breaker in Cincy. We will see if the occasion presents itself. It’s got to be the right point, right frame of mind, the right place to do it. I hope I’ll have the opportunity to do it.”
Djokovic has an opportunity to win his third major title of the year and effectively come within one match–besting Serena Williams, who was two matches away–of capturing the calendar-year Grand Slam. The top seed previously triumphed at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon to go along with his runner-up showing at Roland Garros. So far in New York he has defeated Joao Souza, Andreas Haider-Maurer, Andreas Seppi, Roberto Bautista Agut, Feliciano Lopez, and Marin Cilic–dropping sets to Bautista Agut and Lopez in the process.
“I came here with a wish and a mission: to reach the finals and fight for the trophy,” Djokovic assured. “So I got myself in that position. It’s already a great result. But I want to get that final step on Sunday and get my hands on that trophy. Obviously I’m not the only one who wants that. [A] Swiss player will be on (the) opposite side of the net. We will definitely want to have the same kind of mission.”
When the world’s two best players with the same goal collide, the result should be another instant classic. Federer is showcasing the better form, but can he sustain his incredible level from start to finish in a best-of-five situation? He has not been able to do that against Djokovic in recent times–and he will once again come painfully close.
Pick: Djokovic in 5
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Djokovic missed some second serve returns in that game but held so easily….. wow massive forehand 0-30 roger 1-1
Novak has come out playing really sharp. Another chance to break Fed at 0-40.
Fed is hitting some big second serves but nole is ready. 0-40
S&V behind a second serve on BP! Wow roger
Ajde Nole!!!
Wow! Novak breaks! He’s really pummeling his groundstrokes, overpowering Fed. I haven’t seen Fed work this hard to hold serve in the entire tournament.
Vaamos Djoko!!!! 🙂 No mercy! COme on
Brilliant from novak! Not only does he breaks serve but sends a clear message to roger who is the boss when it comes to baseline rallies
Nole won’t consolidate.
Mr Nostradamus 🙁
🙂
Weird game..and Novak took a nasty fall
Congrats to me.
? in waiting.
Whats with Djoko! He has gone into FO 2013 third set mode after the fall
Vamos Nole!!
Novak breaks Fed for the second time. They posted the stats for Fed’s serving % tonight – 46% well below what he has been averaging for the tournament.
The fall is the only reason Novak didn’t consolidate that first break. He lost his concentration. Now he seems back on track.
Federer’s serve and FH both are missing their mark by a lot.
Nole will quickly end this encounter.
No
Chokeovic
no
^This!
Federer already lost serve twice in 1st set
God so many errors by both in 1st set..esp Roger on that FH
I started seeing from 3 2 in 1st..Has SABR been used yet?
Of Roger continues to play like this, Nole is getting this done in straights.
yep…
he needs to use SABR and he needs to use it now
No