US Open: Novak Djokovic books place in final against bogey man Stan Wawrinka

The Serb emerged from a odd semi-final to beat Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2

Djokovic will face Wawrinka in Sunday's final (Getty)

There have been times when Novak Djokovic has appeared all but unstoppable. The 29-year-old Serb has led the world rankings since July 2014, won 11 of the last 23 Grand Slam tournaments, become the first player in history to win more than $100m in prize money and won more matches than he has lost against each of his “Big Four” rivals, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

There is one opponent, however, who knows as well as anybody what it currently takes to beat the world No 1 on the biggest stages. Since Djokovic lost to Nadal here in the 2013 US Open final, Stan Wawrinka has been the only player to beat him twice in Grand Slam competition. The 31-year-old Swiss will be hoping to get the better of him again here in the US Open final on Sunday.

Both men reached the final with four-set victories completed in the most testing of conditions on a day of intense heat and energy-draining humidity. Djokovic beat Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 after one of the oddest Grand Slam semi-finals of recent years as his French opponent was booed for an apparent lack of effort in the first two sets before making a match of it with a spectacular recovery.

Wawrinka, who will be playing in his first final here, beat Kei Nishikori, the 2014 runner-up, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2. Nishikori may have paid for his efforts in beating Murray over five sets in the quarter-finals, while Wawrinka underlined his reputation as one of the strong men of tennis by coming back from a set down to enjoy an emphatic victory.

The world No 3 has won each of his last 10 finals and has found a way to trouble the best player in the world. Djokovic had beaten Wawrinka 14 times in a row between 2007 and 2013, but in the last three years the Swiss has got the better of him en route to both his Grand Slam titles.

Having lost 12-10 in the fifth set to Djokovic in the fourth round of the 2013 Australian Open, Wawrinka won 9-7 in the deciding set when they met in the quarter-finals in Melbourne a year later and went on to claim his first Grand Slam title by beating Nadal in the final. Seventeen months later they met in the final of the French Open, when Djokovic was the clear favourite to complete his collection of Grand Slam titles, only for Wawrinka to hit him off the court with a display of all-out aggression.

Wawrinka has a big serve, but an even more telling factor in his victories over Djokovic has been the potency of his ground strokes. The world No 3 has the most powerful single-handed backhand in tennis, which makes for a formidable combination alongside his thunderous forehand, an excellent big-match temperament and the stamina to outlast opponents.

The latter quality was evident in his victory over Nishikori, who played a superb opening set and made the first break of the second, only to start struggling in the difficult conditions and in the face of Wawrinka’s power. The Swiss broke serve in the final game of each of the last three sets.

Monfils was booed by sections of the Flushing Meadows crowd (Getty)

Wawrinka, who saved a match point against Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round here, will hope that his sheer strength could be a significant factor against Djokovic, who came into this tournament nursing a left wrist injury and has appeared to suffer a number of physical issues subsequently. He has needed treatment on his right arm during matches and in his semi-final twice sent for the trainer to massage his shoulders.

Both Djokovic and Monfils wilted in the gruelling conditions, but the Serb came good in the fourth set after a remarkable recovery by the Frenchman in the third.

For a while Djokovic had appeared flummoxed by Monfils’ “rope-a-dope” tactics. Having lost the first five games, Monfils started taking the pace off the ball, pulling Djokovic into the net before peppering him with passing shots. “I tried to get in his head, to create something new for him,” Monfils said afterwards.

Although the strategy slowed down Djokovic’s charge it did not impress the crowd, who voiced their disapproval, or John McEnroe, who in his television commentary accused the Frenchman of a lack of effort. Monfils, nevertheless, took the third set by upping his game before Djokovic took control of the fourth.

When told of McEnroe’s comments, Monfils said: “I’m very sad to hear that. I’m very sad to learn that such a legend has criticised me, because at the end what I can say to John is: ‘I want to be the best. It’s tough. And I try my best. I’m sorry if you think I’m unprofessional’.”

Wawrinka saw off Nishikori, Murray's quarter-final conqueror (Getty)

Djokovic described Wawrinka as “a big-match player”. The world No 1 explained: “He loves to play on the big stage against big players, because that’s when I think he elevates his level of performance. He just gets much better. In the last couple of matches he’s been getting into the shape that wins him big matches.”

The Serb added: “Having two Grand Slam titles and an Olympic medal and the Davis Cup under his belt, he believes in himself more. I don’t think he gets too stressed by the bigger occasion. He actually likes playing in big matches.

“He’s a very powerful player. He has a big serve and probably the best, most effective one-handed backhand in the world now. He can do it all. He has that variety in his game. He can be very dangerous against anybody.”

Wawrinka said he would have to play his best tennis to beat Djokovic again. “He’s the No 1 player, an amazing fighter, an amazing player, but I have enough confidence in myself that when I play my best level I can beat him,” Wawrinka said. “When you play Novak, the No 1 player, in the final of a Grand Slam, it’s the biggest challenge you can have.”

The Swiss admitted that his form had fluctuated during the year. “I’m not playing my best tennis in every tournament, but I’m trying to work as hard as I can to give myself the chance to play well every time I step on the court,” he said. “And in Grand Slams is where I want to play my best tennis.”