The eyes of the tennis world will be fixed on New York for the next couple of weeks, but the U.S. Open hype will have to take a backseat for one more day and the fans in Cincinnati certainly aren’t complaining. You can’t do much better than the finals matchups we have today: Federer vs. Djokovic on the men’s side, and Serena vs. Simona Halep for the women.
The Cincinnati tournament– officially known as the Western & Southern Open– is one of nine ATP Masters events, and if Djokovic were to win today he would become the first player to win all nine during his career. It won’t be easy, though, as Federer has more Cincinnati titles (6) than anybody and he looked great in dispatching Andy Murray in straight sets yesterday. The match is essentially a coin-flip at BETDAQ, while on the women’s side Serena is a heavy favorite over Halep. Here are a few quick thoughts on both matches:
Roger Federer (2.0) vs. Novak Djokovic (1.99)
When these guys meet it’s nearly always a meaningful affair, as 36 of their last 37 matches have come in either a final or a semifinal. And though Djokovic has had the upper hand of late, winning three straight and four of his last five against Federer, the Djoker has never had any luck in the Cincinnati final, losing all four of his appearances in straight sets. More concerning than Djokovic’s past record at this tournament, however, is the way he played yesterday, when he had to come from behind to eke out a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over qualifier Alexandr Dolgopolov. Federer, meanwhile, has not dropped a set in his four matches this week. Plus, Djokovic’s recent dominance in this rivalry has mostly been on alternate surfaces, with the two men splitting their last six matches on hard courts. Don’t be surprised if the wily old vet pulls off the mild upset today. Recommendation: Federer at 2.0
Simona Halep (3.7) vs. Serena Williams (1.36)
The women will take the court after the men are finished, and based on the way Serena has been playing lately it seems likely that the spectacle will be somewhat anticlimactic for those in attendance. Ms. Williams has been making history this year, there’s simply no other way to put it: she’s won all three Grand Slams and 43 of her 45 total matches. She is indisputably the best women’s tennis player in the world, and she must self-destruct in order for Halep (or anyone else) to beat her. And that’s not meant as a shot at Halep, who is having a great year in her own right and who was absolutely dominant in a 6-1, 6-2 win over Jelena Jankovic yesterday, but she’s just not on Serena’s level. This isn’t some groundbreaking secret, either– Serena has won five of six career matches against Halep, including a 6-0, 6-4 romp at this very tournament two years ago. You may not like the price, but you’d like losing even less. Recommendation: Williams at 1.36
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