US Open Tennis 2016 Men's Final: Novak Djokovic vs. Stan Wawrinka Preview

Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka will meet in the men's 2016 US Open final on Sunday, with the latter hoping to keep his remarkable unbeaten run in major finals alive.

As shared by the US Open's official Twitter account, the Swiss star has won his last 10 finals, a remarkable feat for a man who has only two Grand Slam titles under his belt:

Djokovic will chase his third US Open title and 13th overall Grand Slam, putting an end to a rough period that saw the Serb disappoint at Wimbledon and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Here's a look at the head-to-head record between the two, which suggests the Djoker should like his chances, per the ATP's official website:

	Djokovic	Wawrinka
Total	19	4
US Open	2	0
Career Titles	66	14

Djokovic has won four of their last five meetings, with Wawrinka's lone win coming in the final of Roland Garros last year. Clay is Djokovic's least-favourite playing surface, and he tends to play his best tennis on fast hard courts. Flushing Meadows is tailor-made for his playing style, which is why it's surprising he only has two US Open titles on his resume.

Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014 but hasn't looked his best on hard courts since. This year is the first time he's ever reached the US Open final, and tennis coach Magnus Norman was among the many surprised by his performances:

The 31-year-old needed four sets to get past Kei Nishokori in the semi-finals, and he'll face a very different opponent in Djokovic. Nishikori is a superb defensive player with remarkable range but limited abilities in rallies―the Djoker is arguably the most well-rounded player in the world.

Consistency has been an issue for Wawrinka in this year's tournament, and his high-octane playing style has seen him struggle with the humidity that has plagued the event. Per BBC Sport, it was one of the first things he said after his win over Nishikori: "It's really humid, really hot. I knew it would be tough."

Djokovic has also talked about the humidity, but the Serb tends to run a lot less than Wawrinka, setting up points with his superb returns and strong baseline shots. Per Sports Illustrated Tennis, the difference in distance covered was staggering entering the semi-finals:

But while Djokovic's style works in his favour, his lack of fitness does not. The Serb entered the tournament with question marks surrounding his health, and those question haven't disappeared. He has looked sluggish at times, most notably in his semi-final win over Gael Monfils.

The heat and humidity don't help matters, and he has requested treatment on the court on several occasions. His match against Monfils was draining, and given Wawrinka's defensive proficiency, the final won't be any different.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/Getty Images

Wawrinka has never been afraid to take chances, particularly in the bigger matches, and expect him to come out firing early, relying heavily on his serve and massive backhand. If he's less than perfect, Djokovic will take advantage, but it's the best chance the Swiss star has.

And he knows it, per the Guardian's Bryan Armen Graham: “The secret is simple: I have to play my best tennis, my best game. He’s the No. 1 player, amazing fighter, amazing player, but I have enough confidence in myself that when I play my best level I can beat him. Hopefully I can bring that Sunday.”

Djokovic is the better technician, and if his health doesn't fail him and he can keep Wawrinka from hitting too many big shots from the baseline, he should win his third career US Open title and end Wawrinka's unbeaten run in the finals.

These two tend to serve up epic, grinding encounters, and Sunday's should be no different. Don't expect either player to wrap this one up quickly.