French Open 2015: Men's Final Start Time, Schedule, Prediction and Prize Money
After overcoming a thrilling comeback by Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic will face Stanislas Wawrinka in the 2015 French Open final on Sunday.
Djokovic comfortably won the first two sets in his semi-final with Murray, but the Scot valiantly fought back to take the match to five sets amid a rain-delayed contest.
Wawrinka fought off a comeback himself as local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga refused to bow out of the competition without a fight, beating the Frenchman in a gripping four-set contest that included two tiebreakers.
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The Swiss eighth seed and the world No. 1 will take each other on not only for the Grand Slam title, but an impressive purse to boot. The winner will receive a tidy sum—€1,800,000 to be exact, €150,000 more than Rafael Nadal took home last year, according to Roland Garros' official website.
Here's the schedule for the final so you know when and where to catch all the action, as well as a more in-depth look at the showpiece itself.
Date: Sunday, June 7
Location: Stade Roland Garros in Paris
Time: 2 p.m. BST, 9 a.m. ET
TV: ITV 4 (UK), NBC (US)
Live Stream: ITV Player, NBC Sports Live Extra
Can Wawrinka Cause an Upset?
As with the majority of Djokovic's opponents, Wawrinka does not hold a favourable record against the Djoker.
According to SteveGTennis.com, the pair have met 22 times with the Serbian holding a one-sided 19-3 record.
Although one of Wawrinka's three wins was on clay, the victory came in 2006 due to a Djokovic retirement in the first set.
That said, the Swiss star beat Djokovic on the way to winning the Australian Open—his only Grand Slam to date—in 2014 with a herculean effort. To have a chance of beating him on Sunday, Wawrinka will need to produce a similar performance.
The 30-year-old is a deserved finalist after defeating Tsonga in sweltering conditions, and prior to that he comfortably overcame compatriot Roger Federer in straight sets.
After beating Tsonga, Wawrinka admitted that his mental strength was a key factor in his victory.
Per ESPN's Greg Garber, he said, "Really happy and proud the way I stayed mentally. Even when I was really nervous in the third and fourth set, I stayed calm and was focused on my game plan."
Wawrinka's resolve was evident throughout the match, as he successfully defended 16 out of 17 break points.
What also aided the Swiss star was his powerful serve, which the New York Times' Christopher Clarey believes could play a crucial role in the final:
However, Wawrinka will need to be far more ruthless in his offense against Djokovic if he is to stand a chance. The eighth seed converted just three break points himself, in 15 attempts.
If Wawrinka cannot convert his hard-earned chances to break the Serbian on Sunday, he will undoubtedly be punished.
Djokovic is in typically majestic form and has rarely looked vulnerable despite taking on Murray and king of clay Nadal.
As ESPN's Carl Bialik points out, he is on quite the hot streak at the moment:
Live Tennis are on hand to visualise that run of form:
"That win means Novak Djokovic's current form is: WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
— Live Tennis (@livetennis) June 6, 2015"
The Djoker is one French Open win away from winning all four Grand Slams, so you can be sure that he'll be as driven and determined as ever as he hunts down the elusive title.
The 28-year-old is simply a force of nature. He's practically unstoppable.
Wawrinka will no doubt draw on last year's victory for inspiration in the final, but Djokovic's relentless athleticism and ruthless, clinical play will prove too much.
As well as Wawrinka is playing, if he triumphs on Sunday, it will be one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. More than likely, though, the Djokovic juggernaut will continue to power on.
Prediction: Djokovic wins 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
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