Bright and early tomorrow morning (if you’re in the UK that is), childhood rivals Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will take centre stage in Melbourne to battle it out for the Australian Open 2015 Men’s Singles title. Will Djokovic clinch his fifth title, or will Murray manage to fell the world number one to get his hands on the Norman Brookes trophy for the first time?
Novak Djokovic kicked off his Australian Open campaign in usual fashion, with straight-set wins in the early rounds. But it wasn’t smooth sailing for the Serbian against defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka in the semi-finals on Friday night. In what was described by Wawrinka as ‘a strange match’, both players struggled to make any real impression on one another throughout the three and a half hours of play.
In the end, an overly defensive but more consistent style of play from Djokovic was enough to prevent the defending champion from winning a second Australian Open title, with the match running to five slow and error-riddled sets: 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. Going into tomorrow’s match, Djokovic will need to be far more aggressive and smarter about how he sustains his energy levels if he wants to put a stop to Murray’s chances at the title. Djokovic is always a clear front runner for any tennis tournament these days; his agility and penchant for demoralising shot placement make him a tough opponent to beat. Tomorrow won't be any different.
Three-time Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray has had an impressive run over the past two weeks. Like Djokovic, he’s dropped just two sets in the whole tournament to date. Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round and the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych in the semis have been the only players to really test the Scot's limits. But a more confident and athletic Murray has proved to both players and fans alike that this year, he means business. There’s no doubt that the finals will be a tough challenge for him, especially against a competitor like Djokovic. A modest Murray himself said in a pre-match interview that it would be a ‘big upset’ for him to beat the four-time Melbourne champion on Sunday. But with Murray playing in much the same way he did when he won the coveted Wimbledon trophy in 2013, if he continues in with his current form, then 2015 could be his year when it comes to Grand Slam success.
The stats
Djokovic’s semi-final win was his 49th match win at the Australian Open. Only Roger Federer and Stefan Edberg boast more victories at the tournament in the Open Era. Djokovic is also just two matches short of an overall 400 hard-court wins. When it comes to Djokovic vs Murray, the Serbian has won seven of their past eight meetings since Murray’s win at the 2012 US Open. Murray has also lost to Djokovic three times in the Australian Open, including the 2011 and 2013 finals.
Tomorrow’s match
Murray has done well to keep focused on the task at hand amid media scrutiny around his coach Mauresmo (yes, people are still sadly talking about his decision to appoint a female coach) and his potty-mouthed fiancée. Yet, for many of the tennis world, he goes into the final ready to give Djokovic a run for his money. And I’m inclined to agree.
These guys have known each other since the age of 12. They are well versed in each other’s strengths and weaknesses and will both be looking to gain the early lead in order to dictate the direction of the match. Expect a war of attrition and a locking of horns tomorrow. Murray’s known to be slower of the mark in terms of finding his stride, but his leaner, more athletic build means he can sustain a few blows in the longer-term and still come out favourably. Djokovic, on the other hand, will come out of the starting blocks with no holds barred. Even if Murray does manage to take the first set, the world number one thrives under pressure and an early stumble will only encourage him to fight that little bit harder.
If Murray can drum up some mental strength, create more power in his shot making and lean on his service game as a weapon, Djokovic may have something to worry about. Either way, it should make for a pretty compelling, edge-of-the-seat match for all involved.
Prediction: Murray to win in five
Image source: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images