Cincinnati ATP Final Preview and Prediction

By Christopher Weis | Aug 22, 2015

In Cincinnati, this final seemed like a pretty good bet at the start.

In the men’s final at the Western & Southern Open, Novak Djokovic will take on Roger Federer for the title. Although this, on paper, looks like a very even match, the two have had contrasting matches in the tournament coming into the final.

Djokovic, despite obviously winning all of his matches, has had two narrow escapes, coming against David Goffin in the round of 16 and Alexandr Dolgopolov in the semifinals. In both matches, Djokovic lost a set. In addition, he had a somewhat difficult match against Frenchman Benoit Paire that seemed closer than the 7-5, 6-2 score. He did, however, look very good in a decisive victory over Stan Wawrinka.

More from Novak Djokovic

In contrast, Federer has breezed through the event, looking untroubled in a comfortable 6-4, 6-4 win over Roberto Bautista Agut. Then, he absolutely demolished Kevin Anderson by a score of 6-1, 6-1. After beating Feliciano Lopez and Andy Murray, Federer has found himself in another final in Cincinnati, where he will aim for a record-setting seventh title and shoot for three titles in Cincinnati in the last four years.

Prediction:

This is somewhat difficult. Federer has looked completely in form and unable to be stopped, while Djokovic has looked like he was in serious jeopardy of losing in two different matches. Yet, it seemed like this at Wimbledon, where Federer appeared to be in better form than Djokovic heading into the final. And we know how that turned out.

This, however, isn’t Wimbledon. That does not mean to say that this title would mean little to the two men involved. For Djokovic, a title at a tournament he has finished runner-up at four times would complete the “Golden Masters” and would be a great achievement, something neither Federer or Nadal has done.

For Federer, it would mean a record-setting seventh title in Cincinnati and would undoubtedly give him some confidence heading into the U.S. Open, where he has not played in the title match since his gut-wrenching five-set loss to Juan Martin Del Potro in 2009.

Who wins?

I’ll stick with my original pick from the start of the tournament and say Djokovic in a very tight three sets. After all, what’s a final between these two without some sort of drama?

Next: Cincinnati ATP Preview and Predictions

More from Lob and Smash

Home/Novak Djokovic