Australian Open 2014: Stanislas Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal, the last men standing

Stanislas Wawrinka and Rafael Nada, who will contest 2014 Australian Open final

After two weeks of action-packed tennis involving some incredible upsets and stunning victories, we are down to just two men from a field of 128. The men’s singles finals for the 2014 Australian Open Championships will be played between top seed and World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and newly promoted Swiss No. 1 Stanislas Wawrinka.

Before delving into the statistical aspects of this match, it is important to note that both men have had their best ever start to a season in their respective careers (Wawrinka won the ATP 250 warm up tournament, Chennai Open, while Nadal won a similar event in Doha). Also, both men have had to come off some really tough matches and they are both also, currently, in the form of their life.

Unfortunately for Wawrinka, the similarities end there. When he steps on court on Sunday evening, in Rod Laver Arena, he will not only be playing in his first Grand Slam final (compared to Nadal’s 19th), but will also be playing an opponent who has beaten him in all 12 of their previous encounters, and has won all 26 sets they’ve contested so far.

But Wawrinka is not one to be intimidated, as was evident in his phenomenal victory over Novak Djokovic in a 5-set thriller in the quarterfinals. After two heartbreaks against the Serb at the Australian Open and the US Open last year, he ensured he was not to be denied the third time. With these words etched on his forearm – “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better”, he has been a man on a mission – a mission to defy all odds – and it has certainly borne fruit for him so far.

The words tattooed on Satnislas Wawrinka’s left arm

Nadal, on the other hand, has had his share of worries, in spite of his form – he was stretched against Kei Nishikori and lost a set against Grigor Dimitrov. He has a nasty blister on his palm which doesn’t seem to be going any time soon, but as always he’s faced adversity the only way he knows – with will power, mental fortitude and resilience.

Against Roger Federer in the semifinals, he was back to his near best. “I played great”, said Nadal of the match.

Wawrinka’s single handed backhand could be his biggest weakness, as much as it is his strength, going into this encounter. While he has been firing with his backhand and powerful stroke play, it is this very backhand which has been his Achilles’ heel when he plays Nadal, as hitting it from shoulder height with one hand is always a difficult proposition. Nadal will take full advantage of this aspect, and, as against Federer, will attack it like a battering ram. The high top spin ball is one of the most vicious shots in tennis today, and is especially difficult to counter with a single-handed backhand.

Where Wawrinka can make a mark is in the serve – he can use his first serve effectively to keep the points short and try and move Nadal out of his comfort zone on the baseline. While this is easier said than done, there is no realistic way to beat Nadal than playing brave aggressive tennis and not backing down, even if mistakes creep in.

Rafael Nadal celebrating his victory over Roger Federer in the semifinals

While this match is hugely important for Wawrinka, he doesn’t have the pressure and weight of expectations that Nadal has. If Nadal wins the Open, he would be one among only three players in tennis history to have won each Major at least twice. He will also be the first player in the Open era to do so. Nadal’s victory would also tie him with Pete Sampras’s major record haul of 14 majors, something which was believed to be unimaginable to be equaled/crossed a mere ten years ago. He will then be only 3 Majors behind Roger Federer. With his record at the French Open, that number suddenly seems a real possibility, unless Federer adds to his tally again.

This victory would go a long way in cementing Nadal’s legacy. With 4 hard court Slams, and two Slams at Wimbledon, along with his humongous 8 at Roland Garros, his status of being an all-court player would be further solidified.

In spite of Stan’s terrific tournament, in all probability, the buck stops here. Unless Stan is able to play incredibly pressing tennis and suffocate Nadal, preventing him from playing his game for the best part of three sets, this match will swing Nadal’s way.

My pick – Nadal in 3 sets.