The 2007 US Open today comes to a close with a men’s final that pits one of the game’s growing greats against a man who may well be the game’s all-time greatest. No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic takes on top-seeded Roger Federer on the great stage of Arthur Ashe Stadium, as America’s Grand Slam rings down the curtain on an unforgettable fortnight with what promises to be a magnificent closing act. Today, Djokovic and Federer will break out their Sunday best, each hoping their best is good enough to end this day as US Open champion.
Every time Federer steps onto a Grand Slam court, he’s not just facing an opponent, he’s staring down history. The tournament’s No. 1 seed earned that top line with a bottom line that this year includes five tournament titles, including three hard-court crowns. His title total includes his second consecutive Australian Open championship and his fifth consecutive Wimbledon win. Today, Federer is seeking his fourth consecutive US Open crown, which would make him the first man in the Open era to string four US Open titles together. This is the 10th consecutive Grand Slam final for the man who has owned the game’s No. 1 ranking for 188 consecutive weeks. And as the winner of this summer’s US Open Series, a win today would earn Federer a cool $1 million bonus, bringing his Sunday payday to a record $2.4 million.
While a record check is certainly a major bonus, the game’s greatest is most interested in cashing in on major titles. Let’s face it, Federer’s is not a game that we’re used to seeing without a joystick in our hands. At 26, his 11 Slam crowns put him just three behind the all-time men’s record of 14 held by Pete Sampras. If he wins No. 12 today, he ties Aussie great Roy Emerson for second place on the all-time tally of majors. It should be noted that what Federer does isn’t really doable. And yet he does it. He wins, and he does so with an ease and an effortless demeanor that seems more befitting the guy who runs the French poodle around in circles at Westminster. Federer has, uncharacteristically, dropped two sets en route to this final-round appearance, but it is testament to his greatness that our jaws drop in unison on the odd occasion that he loses a group of six.
Federer has just six losses this year, grudgingly distributed among four players—none more talented than his opponent today. Djokovic was the last man to beat Federer this season, scoring a head-turning 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 win in the final of the US Open Series stop in Montreal. In that event, the 20-year-old Serb also knocked out Andy Roddick and Rafael Nadal before finishing Federer. If you think that run was a fluke, you haven’t been paying attention. Djokovic is the real deal, as he’s shown every step of the way to this point, becoming the first Serbian man ever to contest a Grand Slam final.
The man from the tiny nation is no small threat. Djokovic has earned his way to the tournament’s second Sunday with a first-rate effort. He’s served huge—61 aces to this point—and displayed an awesome ground game that bruises even the toughest of counter-punchers. At 20, Djokovic has an uncanny court sense and an unflappable demeanor that have played especially well under the brilliant glare of this sport’s brightest spotlight. This may be his first final, but he acts like he’s been here before. And in order to win here, you’ve got to believe you belong.
Djokovic does belong, there’s no question about that. He’ll be a fixture in major finals for years to come as his greatness grows. But Federer is, well… Federer, a man whose greatest strength is that he has no weaknesses. With Federer, there is always one more gear, one remarkable new level. If you push him, you only push him higher. Like the amps for the band Spinal Tap, his dial can go to 11.
Today, he goes to 12.
