Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic: Extra Rest Ensures Rafa Win in Australian Open

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are as close in skill as two players can be. These two titans of tennis will meet in the Australian Open finals on Sunday, and the only discernible advantage that either player has is in time off. 

Djokovic just played a nearly five-hour marathon match with Andy Murray on Friday and will have less than 48 hours to rest and get ready for this match. He basically admitted he had nothing left after his semifinal victory, saying, "In the fifth set I was just trying to finish every point. Andy deserves credit to come back from 2-5 down. It was almost five hours and one of the best matches of my career. But emotionally and physically it was even harder."

Nadal played a marathon match of his own against Roger Federer, but he played on Thursday and has an extra day of rest to prepare for the Djoker. 

You can't underestimate the power that an extra day off his going to have for Nadal, both physically and mentally. He was able to sit back and study Djokovic in his match with Murray. Djokovic had to worry about Murray before he could even think about what might happen in the finals.

Not even the recent history between Djokovic and Nadal is going to matter in this battle. Nadal holds a 16-13 advantage in head-to-head meetings, but Djokovic has won the last six times these two have played, all in tournament finals. 

That would suggest Djokovic has figured out something about Nadal that no one else has. But when you factor in everything he had to do just to get to this moment, it becomes more and more difficult to expect him to walk away with his second consecutive Australian Open title. 

There is no doubt these two will play a classic match, but when all is said and done, it will be Nadal exorcising the Djokovic demons that have plagued him for the last year. 

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