Novak Djokovic to meet Rafael Nadal in US Open final

NEW YORK. September 8. KAZINFORM Novak Djokovic, who is drawn towards suffering like a Trappist monk, meets an old fellow-traveller on the road to pain, Rafael Nadal, in the final of the US Open on Monday.
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It will be their 37th encounter, their third in this raucous setting in four years (they are at one apiece), after the Serb's third straight five-setter in a slam semi-final in 2013 - and only a fool would be confident of the outcome. (A fool writes: Nadal to win in four sets.)

For Nadal, who beat Richard Gasquet in straight sets in the second semi-final, to return in a final after missing the 2012 championships through injury caps a remarkable comeback. This was his 59th win of the year, and 21st on hardcourts without losing, according to guardian.com.uk

Humble to the point of saintliness, Nadal said of his enduring rival (nobody matches them for head-to-head confrontations): "He's an amazing competitor. He is one of the greatest players I have ever seen."

Djokovic, who retains his No1 ranking for the 98th week by reaching the final, arrived there after four hours, nine minutes and five sets of spirit-bruising tennis against Stanislas Wawrinka in the first semi-final, probably the best match of the tournament.

The disappointment for Wawrinka was manifest in the numbers - 2-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Djokovic, with 165 points to each of them - and he shared his emotions with disarming candour and a stray expletive in the immediate aftermath, tears welling and body aching (he took a medical timeout at 4-1 down in the fourth set).

"He's fucking strong, so congrats, Nole," said the toy-bear Swiss with the unruly hair and endearing smile. "But, for me, I give everything, I fight until the end. It was an amazing experience."

Nole's sentiments were more decorous. "I think it was obvious that Stan played more aggressive and the better tennis overall. I was just trying to hang in there. It was not an easy match, definitely, for both of us. I had to run a lot, I had to find my rhythm a lot in this wind."

Wawrinka, despite a shockingly poor first-serve ratio of 36% in the first set (50% overall), dazzled Djokovic with his groundstrokes in the opening hour, and he kept him nervous all the way to the end. Among the excellence there was comedy and farce.

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