Australian Open 2015 Semifinals: TV Schedule for Novak Djokovic vs Stan Wawrinka
No. 6 Andy Murray defeated No. 7 Tomas Berdych to earn a spot in the 2015 Australian Open men's final, and he'll play the winner of a highly anticipated Day 12 match between No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 4 Stan Wawrinka.
Both Djokovic and Wawrinka have found previous success in Melbourne. The No. 1 seed won the tournament in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (and 2008) before losing in the quarterfinals last year. A victory against Wawrinka will give him a shot at a fifth Australian Open title. The No. 4 seed comes in with plenty of confidence having won the tournament in 2014, his first Grand Slam title.
These players have a lengthy history, facing off 19 times over the course of their careers. Djokovic holds a 16-3 record against Wawrinka; however, he did fall to the Swiss last year in Melbourne. Before they face off for a 20th time, here's a look at the match's essential viewing information and a prediction for its ultimate outcome.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Viewing Information
Who: Novak Djokovic vs. Stan Wawrinka
When: Friday, January 30
Where: Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia
Time: 3:30 a.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Preview and Prediction
Friday marks the third consecutive year Djokovic and Wawrinka will face off in the Australian Open. These two have produced many thrilling matches over the years, but their meetings in Melbourne continue to provide awe-inspiring action and down-to-the-wire finishes.
Djokovic took the win when they faced off in the round of 16 back in 2013. It was a grueling match that went five sets and ended in thrilling fashion, as the Serb won a fifth-set tiebreak. The match was even throughout; however, Djokovic was able to prevail due to a more consistent serve and clutch play in break-point scenarios.
Things are looking good for the No. 1 seed this year, as his play closely resembles that contest. In a quarterfinal clash against the big-hitting Milos Raonic, Djokovic kept 71 percent of his first serves in play, leading to winning 89 percent of his first-serve points, 74 percent of his second-serve points and limiting his mistakes to just 17 unforced errors.
During a press conference, via AusOpen.com, Djokovic spoke of his past clashes with Wawrinka and touched on his upcoming preparation for the match:
"As I mentioned before, I'm ready for the battle. When we played last three Grand Slam matches they were the finals stages of a Grand Slam, semifinals, quarterfinals. Grand Slams are the tournaments where you want to perform your best. I'm sure we both are very much aware of that fact, and it's why we get to play on a high level against each other and we push each other to the limit in a way. It's a very physical battle, as well. But I haven't had too many long matches during this tournament. I'm ready for it. I'm going to practice tomorrow, do a little preparation for that match, try to analyze his game and what I need to do in order to win.
"
One piece of Djokovic's preparation will most certainly be watching his 2014 loss to Wawrinka. In that contest, the Swiss got the best of his opponent with his big serve. Wawrinka tallied 17 aces while winning 72 percent of his first-serve points against Djokovic—no easy feat. His great services kept Djokovic off balance, holding him to win just 37 percent of his receiving points.
The bad news for the No. 1 seed is this: Wawrinka is playing in a similar fashion again this year.
The No. 4 seed is coming off an impeccable showing against No. 5 Kei Nishikori. Wawrinka's serve was on point, as he tallied 20 aces and won 86 percent of his first-serve points against his nimble opponent. Despite a high level of athleticism, Nishikori was kept off balance, and the end result was the No. 5 seed winning just 26 percent of his receiving points.
So, here's the big factor in this impending semifinal showdown: Wawrinka's accuracy on his serve will dictate the outcome of the match.
While the No. 4 seed is certainly a hard-hitting player, his accuracy can become an issue at times. Against Nishikori, he kept 63 percent of his first serves in play. Continuing that trend will be favorable, as he defeated Djokovic last year by keeping 57 percent of his first serves in play. However, when these two faced off in 2013 in Melbourne, Djokovic won after just 50 percent of Wawrinka's first serves landed in bounds.
Still, Raonic was unable to defeat Djokovic despite landing 68 percent of his first serves in play, which speaks volumes to the Serb's ability to combat those high-speed serves. While Wawrinka is more accomplished in this department, Djokovic continues to adjust well and play a brand of well-rounded tennis that will earn him another trip to the final.
Prediction: Djokovic wins in four sets
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
