US Open Tennis 2017 Men's Final: Nadal vs. Anderson Preview

Kevin Anderson will try to complete his Cinderella run at the 2017 U.S. Open on Sunday as he takes on Rafael Nadal in the final.

The Spaniard already ranks among the sport's greatest of all time, with a remarkable 15 Grand Slam titles, while Anderson will appear in his first final on the highest level. As SuperSport Blitz shared, the two have a long history, but their careers have taken different paths:

Here's a look at the upcoming final.

Head-to-Head

According to the ATP's official website, the two have met just four times since turning professional, and Nadal won all four matches. In those contests, Anderson won just one set in total―in 2015―and Nadal won their last meeting earlier this year.

As one might expect, Anderson's best outings against Nadal came on the harder surfaces, and this year's match in Barcelona (on clay) was the least competitive.

Preview

There's no denying Anderson is a huge underdog entering the final, even if the South African has played well in the last two rounds. As Stuart Fraser of The Times shared, the 31-year-old's ranking indicates how unlikely his run to the final has been:

Anderson, all 6'8" of him, has long been known as a tricky opponent for top players and a potential stumbling block in major tournaments but little more than that. He has never advanced past the fourth round in any of the other Grand Slams but did show enough consistency to crack the ATP Top 10 in 2015.

Armed with a spectacular serve and solid ground game from the baseline, power is Anderson's main strength. He's at his best when he can overpower opponents and feels comfortable drawing sets out and finishing things off in tiebreaks.

Nadal needs no introduction. While he's often described as a clay specialist, he has won three Grand Slam titles on hard court and two on grass. His overall numbers in singles matches are spectacular, per Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated:

Nadal's greatest strength is his athleticism, which allows him to defend like no other and dominate lengthy rallies. The 31-year-old is also blessed with an excellent backhand and can beat you in multiple ways but is at his best when moving from side to side.

Both players impressed in the semi-finals―even though they both surrendered a set―and Nadal in particular seemed to improve as his match wore on, culminating in an easy win over Juan Martin del Potro.

Anderson showed his ability to beat a defensive specialist in Pablo Carreno Busta in the semi-finals, but Nadal is on a whole other level. He is a dreadful stylistic matchup for Anderson and also happens to be playing some of his best tennis the last three years. 

Prediction: Nadal wins the title in four sets.