2011 Australian Open: Preview – Novak Djokovic vs Andy Murray
A clash of the titans will take place at Melbourne Park on Sunday, as former world number two Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray battle it out for the championship at the 2011
Australian Open final.
A 2010 finalist here, Murray returns to the event for the second straight year with the hopes of a maiden Grand Slam title. The Brits have been denied a Grand Slam victory
since 1939, when Fred Perry decided to hang up his racquet. Now with Britain’s hope lying with Murray, the added pressure of a Grand Slam final takes the anticipation of the match sky high. Murray also made it to a Grand Slam final in 2008 when he lost a chance
to grab the United States Championship; Roger Federer was the eventual winner. The Brit lost a chance at a maiden title last year as well, when he lost to the Swiss maestro, again. They say third time is the charm and with Federer sidelined by Djokovic, Murray
is clearly the favourite to win the title.
However, Djokovic on the other hand is experienced at Grand Slam finals, having won the same title in 2008 after he defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Making it all the way to
the finals in 2010 United States Open, Djokovic is putting in his second straight appearance at a major’s final.
Both players not only started their 2011 run at the Hopman Cup, but they won all three rubbers despite their teams not making it to the finals for separate reasons. Having
made it all the way to the finals at Melbourne Park, both pros stand at a ten match winning streak. However, Djokovic’s run is more impressive when compared with the Brit since the former has dropped only one set, losing fifty games in seventeen sets whereas
Murray has lost fifty seven games in nineteen sets.
Playing their first ever Grand Slam match, Murray and Djokovic stand at a levelled 3-3 head to head score on hard courts. Much to the surprise of critics and fans, the pair
did not play each other in any match in 2010 having been on opposite sides of the draw always. Their last meeting had come in 2009 when the two met for the final match of the Miami Masters, with the Brit getting the better of the Serb marvel, defeating the
latter in straight sets.
Although the head to head score rests at a levelled 3-3, Murray stands at a three match winning streak over Djokovic. Given the Brit’s recent form and the desire for a maiden
win, he might be able to extend this lead tomorrow. However, talking about crowd support, the Aussie’s might not be so keen on supporting the Brit especially after England defeating Australia in the Ashes Test Cricket series recently.
Talking about playing Djokovic, Murray commented, “So we haven't come up against each other for over two years now. So we practice a lot together. We get on well together.
We're good friends. But in terms of a rivalry, I think this will be the start. Well, I hope it's the start of us playing each other in big matches."
Prediction:
Based on ranking and recent rankings, Djokovic is the clear favourite, though sympathy support for Murray, from being a runner up here last year, might play in the Brit’s favour. However, it should not be forgotten that Djokovic dispatched the defending
champion and world number two, Roger Federer in straight sets in the semi-final. That should speak volumes about the form the Serb is enjoying. One thing that can be said for sure is the fact that the match will not go down in straight sets. Probably a five
setter with most of the sets going into tiebreakers since the two players are so closely matched.
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