RICKY LOOKS @ ROGER FEDERER • NOVAK DJOKOVIC – FOR A FAMILIAR FINAL @ THE WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN TENNIS

Written by: Staff on 18th August 2018

Western and Southern Open tennis tournament

RICKY LOOKS @ ROGER FEDERER • NOVAK DJOKOVIC - FOR A FAMILIAR FINAL @ THE WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN TENNIS

epa06957466 Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against David Goffin of Belgium in their semifinal match in the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2018. EPA-EFE/TANNEN MAURY |

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against David Goffin of Belgium in their semifinal match in the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2018. EPA-EFE/TANNEN MAURY

By Ricky Dimon

It will be Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic in the Western & Southern Open final on Sunday afternoon after the two all-time advanced through their respective semifinals on Saturday. They will now face each other for the 46th time overall and for the fourth time in a Cincinnati title match.

Federer benefited from a second-set retirement courtesy of David Goffin, which the Swiss certainly did not mind after needing to play–and win–two matches on Friday against Leonardo Mayer and Stan Wawrinka.

The entire week, on the other hand, has been a heavy workload for Djokovic. He not only missed out on a opening-round bye but has also played four straight three-setters. The most recent one saw him hold off Marin Cilic 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Saturday. Djokovic broke his Cilic in the eighth game of the decider, just as he had done against Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals.

“Yesterday at 4-3 in the third, today at 4-3 in the third, both times I made crucial breaks,” the Serb said. “But, I wasn’t just closing my eyes and going for the shots. I was trying to tactically play smart and strategically play the certain shots that will put me in a better position than my opponent. When you play guys like Cilic and Raonic, you have to be lucky to anticipate their serve, try to block it, try to put it in play, and again, develop a point in a way which will allow you to win it.

“Today I made a passing shot down the line, which was quite awesome, and I was lucky to hit the line. That’s what happens. I mean, that one point, one shot, decided a winner of the match today. That’s how close it was. It was similar to yesterday’s match, so not much has really separated us.”

Djokovic leads the head-to-head series against Federer by a miniscule 23-22 margin, but he is 0-3 against the 37-year-old in Cincinnati finals. Federer prevailed 6-1, 7-5 in 2009, 6-0, 7-6(7) in 2012, and 7-6(1), 6-3 in 2015. The latter result came at the peak of their rivalry, as they clashed a whopping eight times that season. Djokovic is 6-2 in their last eight encounters after winning their most recent contest 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the semis of the 2016 Aussie Open.

Djokovic’s 0-3 mark against Federer in Cincinnati is part of a shocking 0-5 lifetime record in finals at this tournament. It is the only Masters 1000 event he has never won. Federer, meanwhile, is bidding for his eighth ‘Nati tittle.

“It [is] the greatest challenge in Cincinnati, without a doubt–especially here–because he’s been dominating this tournament historically,” Djokovic assured. “He won against me several times in finals. Obviously he feels great in these conditions and this surface.”