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It was the final many expected at the start of the tournament and now it is a reality
Novak Djokovic gets ready to meet Rafael Nadal in the 2011 US Open final, writes Thomas Rooney.
It has certainly been an interesting competition, a bizarre one in fact.
The wet weather has caused havoc to the schedule and in truth, the spectacle of the tournament has suffered slightly.
Take today for example, it was all set to be the day of the US Open final, the one many people had been looking forward to and the last major final in 2011.
However, because of the disruption due to the incredibly heavy showers, the final will now take place on Monday, giving the players a day off after their semi-final exploits. There is even a possibility it could go into Tuesday, making everything very messy indeed.
Hopefully though, it won’t take anything away from the match in prospect. It does, after all, pit the top two players in the world – Djokovic and Nadal. Regardless of what has preceded this final, it is a mouth-watering prospect to see these two great players go head to head again.
Their routes to the final have been pretty similar. Neither player had too many problems getting to the semi-final, but it is in the final four where they met their toughest challenge.
Djokovic went through a five-set tussle with Roger Federer. The Serb actually found himself two sets down before storming back to win 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. If anyone was in doubt that he is the best player in the world, they were not after this incredible fight back.
As for Nadal, well British tennis fans will tell you that it was a similar story for him against Andy Murray. The Spaniard won in four sets against the Scotsman, continuing his excellent record in Grand Slam tournaments.
Overall, Djokovic and Nadal meeting in the US Open final is the pinnacle of men’s tennis right now. It doesn’t get any better.
Match odds
Given his form in 2011, Djokovic is understandably a slight favourite to emerge victorious in this one. He can be backed at 1.67 (4/6) with Paddy Power, while a Nadal victory is available at 2.50 (6/4).
There is thought that the disruption to this tournament has affected Nadal more than Djokovic, so this could have an influence on the final result.
First set winner
The first set is always crucial in major finals and this one is no different. It may not be match deciding, but it sets the tone for the entire match.
If Nadal wins, Djokovic will have to come from behind once again, if Djokovic wins the first set, Nadal’s tiredness could get to him.
To win the first set, Nadal is available at 1.67 (4/6) @ SportingBet while Djokovic is 2.05 (21/20).
Recommended bet
Rafael Nadal to win the first set @ 1.67 (4/6)
Novak Djokovic to win the match by three sets to one 4.00 (3/1) with SportingBet
