There are a few aspects of game that could be seen and compared. Even on the small screen, one can see the angles created, the put away balls, consistency in shot making, court craft, displacement of the opponent, aces served, mobility and so on. There are a few things that could be seen watching the match from the stands like the speed of the ball, the soft and heavy ball and the quickness of feet. However, there are intangibles that could be felt, trends that could be analysed, aspects that could be deduced and instincts that could be sensed. How does a player feel on seeing the opponent across the net. How tight the mind becomes at the centre court in a Grand Slam final. These play crucial part in determining the chances of a player coming out on top.
After the experience of last year, Andy Murray can be said to be more expectant than before. But it seems that he fears Roger Federer deep inside. Having a favourable Head to Head performance against him gives Andy Murray confidence as he steps into the court in a Grand Slam but this vanishes at some stage. He knows he can defeat Federer, but always something has happened in a Grand Slam. He is however more at ease against Rafael Nadal. He is also more at ease on hard courts. But he has to reach Semi-final to possibly have a go at these two and there in lies the uncertainty. Only Roger Federer was the certainty so far to reach Semi-Finals of a Grand Slam and that too has gone in recent times. There are a few top twenty players who can upset Andy Murray.
Rafael Nadal has history beckoning for him. His fans are awaiting the possibility of Rafa Slam. His form suggests that his upset is not on cards in the earlier rounds. Only somebody in the top ten can upset him if he plays beyond his potential. It is the encounter with others in the top four that will take him in the realm of uncertainty. Of the three opponents, Nadal is least comfortable with Andy Murray. They have similar game, and who plays better on the given day takes away the honours. Both hard court encounters between Andy Murray and Nadal in recent Grand Slams have gone in favour of Andy Murray and that will not go away from Nadal’s mind unless he defeats him in hard court Grand Slam. This has happened in 2007, but Andy Murray has traveled a lot since then to make that result insignificant.
Djokovic has often reached semi-finals when least predicted. He has generally arrived there unannounced. He appears to improve after each match and peaks at the right time. He has had victories over Nadal, but on important occasions, Nadal has prevailed. His victory over Roger Federer in the U.S Open finals would have given him confidence. He has also performed well in the Davis Cup. But he is not immune to dangerous floaters. His victory in 2008 was not a fluke and he has consistently occupied the number three ranking during past few years.
Roger Federer is the defending champion. Australians have special love for him. In recent times, his prowess has been said to be on decline and that of Rafael Nadal back towards the peak. But his win over all in the ATP WTF last month has sealed the lips of his detractors. Roger Federer always presents toughest challenge. Since he is mentally very tough against all except Nadal, he is a more probable finalist. Everybody fears him since he plays a game different from others and in a different way. History being replete with a few who won post 30 years of age, twenty nine years may not take toll on playing skills or running for five sets, but it could take a toll on prolonged mental freshness and patience in a rally.
After the ATP events at Doha, Chennai, Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland, the focus will shift to the Australian Open. With a fit Nadal this year, bettors’ market is going to be hotter.
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