US Open 2013 Semifinals: Davids meet Goliaths

[1]

From Lleyton Hewitt's resurgence to the waning prowess of Roger Federer, US Open 2013 has witnessed its fair share of exciting affairs. But, with the men's semi-final line-up running along more or less expected lines, the sense of uncertainty that seemed to have consumed everyone at Wimbledon is noticeably absent. The absence of Federer, who has to his credit five US Open titles, and Andy Murray, the defending Champion in the final four hasn't in any way resulted in the competition losing its sheen since the two players apart from Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who are completing the line-up are not unheralded, unseeded players. Both Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet are incredibly gifted and talented players and even if they fail to give the Djokovic and Nadal a run for their money, one can expect some nerve-tingling tennis from both of them.
The pugnacious Nadal has not had to struggle much en route to the semi-final. The only glitch in his otherwise perfect campaign at the US Open was the one set that he dropped against Philipp Kohlschreiber in the fourth round. Although the match lasted just four sets, there were moments of astounding brilliance from the German who tried, albeit in vain, to derail Nadal. It was a match that brought to the fore the two traits that have been instrumental in vaulting Nadal to the pinnacle of men's tennis—Endurance and agility. To be fair to Kohlschreiber, he gave his heart and soul to the match and some of the strokes that he played were of such high quality that Nadal himself couldn't help but stand back and appreciate. But, it was Nadal who had the last laugh. Having booked a slot in the quarter-final, Nadal and the multitudes of fans alike were looking forward to him face off against long-time rival Federer. But, as fate or maybe Federer might have it, Tommy Robredo, long considered an underachiever got the better of Federer in straight sets and set up a quarter-final clash with his compatriot.
Against Robredo, Nadal coasted to a facile win to seal a berth in the semi-final. Nadal will be up against the extraordinarily gifted Gasquet of France. In his nine-year long professional career, Gasquet has advanced to the semi-final of a Major tournament on a mere two occasions. That statistical detail alone reflects the extent of Gasquet's troubles in Majors. When it comes to flair and flourish, there are few contemporary players whose names can be spoken in the same breath as that of Gasquet. When he plays the backhand, he can use his dextrous, sinewy wrists to conjure angles that would leave Euclid himself flabbergasted. His forehand, although not as effective, is played with the same fluid even majestic grace that accompanies the backhand. Even with the forehand, he has a wide array of strokes and against lesser players, he can bank almost exclusively on it to win matches. Unfortunately, he is not going up against a lesser player.
In fact, he heads into the match knowing full well that the last time he beat Nadal, the floppy disc was still considered the most convenient storage device. The Frenchman has never registered a win against Nadal in his professional career and the odds are stacked firmly in the Spaniard's favour. The serve has, more often than not, been Gasquet's undoing. While he can sporadically fire aces, his second serve is vulnerable to the point of being meek and against Nadal, who is widely considered to be an expert when it comes to returning serves— this could prove to be a decisive factor. It is Nadal's match to lose and Gasquet will only be too aware of the fact.
Hard-courts are far from Nadal's favourite surface. While his workman style of tennis might not have an adverse impact on his body on clay, it is a physically draining exercise on synthetic courts. If there is one aspect in Nadal's game that Gasquet can, albeit to a small extent, use to his advantage, it is the pace of the rally. Unlike the slower clay courts, where Nadal has more than ample time to get around his backhands and strike those booming forehands that are imparted with an almost unbelievable amount of top spin, the time afforded on plexicushion is far lesser. This is where the plethora of strokes that Gasquet has at his disposal can come into play. As long as Gasquet succeeds in dictating the pace of the rally, it will be he who will call the shots. Another facet of the game where Gasquet is superior to Nadal is the strength at the net. The Frenchman has a lot more control over his volleys and in comparison to Nadal, he is much more comfortable playing from the net. If he is to nurture even the slightest dreams of a victory, then Gasquet will need to close a huge percentage of the points from the net. It goes without being said that with the increase in the length of the rally, the chances of Gasquet winning the point comes down drastically. If it comes down to a slugfest from the baseline, Nadal is sure to come out on top.
Maiden semi-final jitters might unhinge Wawrinka
When he first burst upon the international scene, Wawrinka was touted to be the next Federer in the making. But, like many others including another semi-finalist Gasquet, he has failed to live up the promise. With a game that is based almost equally on brute force and the variety of his stroke-play, Wawrinka has managed to delight the purists who have, for some time now, bemoaned the slow death of the single-handed backhand. While he is not capable of creating the almost magical angles that Gasquet is capable of, it can be said unequivocally that his is more effective by virtue of the power that he loads into his strokes.
Like his compatriot, Federer, Wawrinka too has a hassle-free serve that is easy on the eye and it is arguably one of the most potent weapons in his arsenal. With a magnificent forehand that complements his formidable serve and a powerful backhand, Wawrinka can prove to be a handful for Djokovic. But, the Swiss, has time and again, despite his abundant talent, failed to acquit himself at the big stage. Moreover, this is his first appearance in the semi-final of a Major tournament and it is highly likely that his nerves, which very clearly are not made of steel, might end up to be his undoing yet again.
Yet another aspect of his game that resembles Federer's is the elegance and the regality with which Wawrinka plays. The sight of Wawrinka standing tall and delivering one of his 'down the line' backhands is truly a sight to behold with a million eyes. The ease with which he moves around the court is yet another attractive feature of his game-play. But, come the hour of reckoning against Djokovic, all the aesthetically pleasing aspects of Wawrinka's game will count for nothing.
Djokovic, unlike his opponent, is a man with an iron will and a calm disposition. Beneath the veneer of a smiling Serb lies a player with a keen mind who is adept at making his opponents play to his strengths. His thundering forehands cobbled with his equally effective backhands make Djokovic one of the best in the business. If sceptics need proof of his endurance in long rallies, one need look no further than the legendary Australian Open final of 2012 when he outlasted Nadal in a  match that lasted over six hours.
His double-fisted backhand might not evoke the awe that a flourishing single-handed backhand drive from  Federer might. But, the brute force with which Djokovic strikes the ball and the power that he packs into it makes the Serb's backhand one of the most dangerous strokes in modern tennis. Against someone like Wawrinka, a player given to extravagance, Djokovic  holds the upper hand.
Djokovic has often been scorned for the amount of time that he takes between points and rightly so. But, his delaying tactics often help him in wresting the momentum away from his opponents. In addition to his expansive range of ground strokes, Djokovic also has a fairly strong serve that he can bank upon to bail him out when he is staring down the barrel.
As long as both Gasquet and Wawrinka refuse to let the significance of the match overwhelm them, and play their natural game, both the semi-final matches are bound to be treats for tennis fans.