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Will Rafael Nadal be smiling at the end of the match against Wawrinka tomorrow?
Factors which should favour Nadal:
Against an underdog like Wawrinka, it’s difficult to single out one particular factor which should help Nadal in winning the match. Just by playing his normal game and handling the important points well he will be able to keep the stylish Swiss at bay. If Nadal brings his A game, he is sure to dismiss the eighth seed cheaply.
Expectations from the final:
Though in all aspects the final looks like going Nadal’s way entirely, Wawrinka can still make his opponent work for it. The first and foremost thing for him is to hold his service games by serving very flat to the backhand corner of Nadal. If his serve gets broken too often, it will be highly improbable for him to get a foothold in the contest. It would also be in Wawrinka’s interests to try and shorten the points, games and sets – the longer the match goes, the greater will be Nadal’s chances of winning it. Since Wawrinka is a gifted shot maker, he should make every attempt to cut down the rallies, which would otherwise be benefiting his Spanish adversary.
As Nadal can at times be a slow starter, the Swiss would have to play an unforgivable game in the early going which could help him in pocketing the first set. If he gives up the opening set, then it would be virtually impossible for the Swiss to register a comeback. The Spaniard is known for manhandling his opponents even when he finds his back against the wall, and so to give him an early advantage is equivalent to giving up the match totally.
The match could possibly become interesting if the Swiss comes out all guns blazing in the opening set. That said, Nadal has experienced many such storms in his career and has successfully weathered most of them. Unless some miracle occurs, it doesn’t seem like anything can prevent Nadal from accompanying Sampras as the joint holder of 14 Grand Slam titles.
Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in straight sets, one of which could be a tie-breaker.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
