French Open 2016 Men's Final: Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray Predictions
Both Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will be seeking to clinch a maiden French Open title on Sunday, as they meet in what should be a gripping final at Roland Garros in Paris.
Djokovic has never got his hands on the Coupe des Mousquetaires previously, despite having dominated the men’s game for the last couple of years and winning 11 Grand Slam titles in his career. Murray will be playing in the final at this venue for the first time, having only won two of his nine major finals previously.
These two players typically put on spectacular matches, as not only are they the two most gifted players in the game but the two fittest as well. Here is a closer look at the key details on the cusp of this final and an examination of how this one is set to pan out.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
| Match | (1) Novak Djokovic vs. (2) Andy Murray |
| Date | Sunday, June 5 |
| Time | 2 p.m. (BST), 9 a.m. (ET) |
| Venue | Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland Garros |
History Beckons for Djokovic and Murray
Although few would dispute the genial abilities of Djokovic, a win here on this surface against a player such as Murray would thrust him into the reckoning of being one of the finest players of all time.
The Serb has won all of the other three Grand Slams on multiple occasions and dominated the world rankings. But a Roland Garros success has eluded him, with a surprise loss in the final last year against Stanislas Wawrinka. As noted by Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times, he’ll face another familiar foe here:
Murray has never looked better on clay than he has in the second week of this tournament. There were some extremely precarious moments early in the draw, as he came from two sets behind to win his opening match and then 2-1 down in Round 2. But he’s now found his groove in spectacular fashion.
"Reaching the French Open final is definitely not something I thought I'd do," the man himself conceded, per BBC Sport. "Last year I started to have the belief that I could do it. It's great credit to my team to get my body healthy."
The win over Wawrinka in the semi-finals was emblematic of his form. Murray turned in such a balanced performance, showing aggression, intelligence and fortitude; when the champion bounced back to win the third set and make it 2-1, the Scot extinguished any hopes of a fightback with an immediate break in the fourth.
Some of the inventiveness he’s shown on these slow Roland Garros courts has been joyous, too, as we can see courtesy of Eurosport UK:
A third Grand Slam triumph in a third different competition would be a huge achievement for Murray. Indeed, Chris Bascombe of the Daily Telegraph thinks that a win would cement the 29-year-old's legendary status in British sport:
It’ll be far from easy, though. Murray may have beaten Djokovic in Rome last month on clay, but the world No. 1 is as determined as they come. The second seed can battle, scrap and haul his way into winning positions as well as anyone, but Djokovic is capable of matching him when it comes to these gritty attributes.
The Serb has had a much simpler path to the final as well. His semi-final opponent, Dominic Thiem, seemed to be daunted by the big occasion in Paris, allowing Djokovic to coast past him without really breaking sweat. Consider the gruelling games Murray has gone through earlier in the tournament, that physical edge will be key.
As these numbers from ESPN Tennis illustrate, Djokovic has fared very well in some attritional battles with Murray previously:
"Djokovic is 23-10 vs. Murray, including a 3-1 edge on clay. Murray won last meeting, which was on clay, in Rome final.
— ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) June 3, 2016"
It’s tough to foresee a clear winner. These two competitors battle for every point, have an incredible defensive game and are each capable of producing moments of untamed inspiration. They’re both well capable of taking sets off one another and maintain standards for hours out on court.
Matches between these two previously seem to have depended on extremely fine margins, and the freshness of Djokovic will ultimately swing it his way. Murray has evidently overcome his early tournament issues, but at the end of two punishing weeks for him, his long-term rival has the capabilities to ruthlessly exploit any tiny frailties.
Prediction: Djokovic to win in five sets
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
