Federer, Ferrer, Murray, Djokovic, champion who? (part 5 conclusion)
Now that the histories and accomplishments of all the four semi-finals have been charted, predictions might be made based on that charting.
Semifinal 1:
Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic
Definitely the more eagerly anticipated of the two semi-finals, this clash between the world nos. 2 & 3 has the potential to be one for the history books.
Roger Federer seems like his old self again, as witnessed in his match against Wawrinka.
The Djoker is playing the best tennis of his life. His performances have been glorious displays of dominance. It shall be a clash between two titans on song, should they both maintain their level of play.
If the both of them are playing at their best, Roger Federer, shall have an edge. His game is the more complete of the two, and his strength and understanding of the game far exceed that of Djokovic.
While Djokovic is an excellent defender, he is not capable of absorbing the aggression of a Federer in full flow.
However, Federer is rarely in full flow these days. His most recent grand slam semifinal ended in a defeat at the hands of Djokovic, after a drawn-out 5 setter. If Federer is to win here, he must do it quickly. His concentration shows signs of breaking in
high pressure situations, and if Djokovic can force him into one, he might just win.
But overall, in this tennis fan’s opinion, Roger Federer shall take the match in 3 or 4 sets.
Semifinal 2:
Andy Murray vs. David Ferrer
Andy Murray is the firm favourite in this encounter. The world no.5 has been much more impressive in this tournament than his opponent. Despite his losses to Ferrer last year, Murray has a game, which is very well-suited to completely countering Ferrer’s.
As a counterpuncher, Murray is able to keep the ball in play for as long as needed. Since Ferrer lacks the strength to put away winners often, this gives Murray an advantage. Murray is also one of the very few players on the tour, who are in better shape
than Ferrer. This fact would turn a long match in the Briton’s favour.
Murray’s excellent drop-shots and his tactical abilities will surely keep Ferrer running around and he will probably dominate at the net, since that is Ferrer’s weakness. But in tennis one never knows, as Ferrer showed in his quarterfinal encounter with
Nadal. His shots were powerful and accurate and his movement immaculate. But based on the evidence, this tennis fan backs Andy Murray to win in straight sets.
The prospect of a Federer-Murray final is a pleasant one. Should both make it through, we shall have a repeat of last year’s final on our hands. This year though, Murray shall attempt to make it more of a battle, determined as he will be to win his first
grand slam.
And that concludes this analysis of the tournament. Pending the matches, any other predictions at this point will be circumstantial, so this writer will refrain from making bold claims. Here’s to an entertaining final three matches in the Australian Open
2011!
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