All Bets are off at the US Open Final Lollipop

There are no underdogs in tennis any more. Not after Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic have beaten two of the top four seeds to reach their first ever US Open final. Nishikori has become the first Japanese man to reach a Grand Slam after beating the world number one and our favourite to win Novak Djokovic  6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 at Flushing Meadows.

Then as soon as Lollipop had recovered from one shock Cilic beat 17 time Grand Slam winner in straight sets 6-3 6-4 6-4 in 1hr 45 mins. The finalist is the first Croatian to reach a Slam final since his coach Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 who could barely watch as he held his face into his cap during the final game.

Lollipop and I confess we were one of many who expected to see Djokovic in the final but the Serb seemed to be faltering at points. The Wimbledon champ dropped serve at the start of the fourth set and the match ended with Djokovic facing two match points as he hit a tired forehand over the baseline.

“Other than that second set my game today was not even close to what I wanted it to be,” said a beaten Djokovic at the end of the match.

Cilic vs Federer was a more routine match. There was no momentous comeback from the Swiss from the semi finals when he saved two match points to beat Frenchman Gael Monfils. Instead Cilic was in control throughout as he broke serve four times, hit 43 winners and faced just two break points.

Even Cilic dubbed the match as his best performance in his entire career. The two shocks of the tournament means it will be the first time since the 2005 Australian Open that the top four will not take part in a Grand Slam Final.  

Although Tennis fans may feel disappointed that they won’t get to see the stars of the game battle it out as usual they will get to see the start of a new Tennis era.

Djokovic, Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka will have to analyse their US Open defeats and decide if they still truly want this. Each of them have won Grand Slams before but their experience has got them no where this time around. Cilic and Nishikori just looked hungrier and feistier today on court. As Djokovic screamed at his spectator box during his match this afternoon it was clear to see that he still wants to win more titles, but so do others. There is no fear factor in tennis any more with Federer ageing, Djokovic flailing and Andy Murray just not at his fittest the sport is changing.

Lollipop and I daren’t choose a winner for Sunday’s historical final. Nishikori has clearly been on court longer. The Japanese finalist needed 10 sets and more than eight hours to win his previous two matches over Milos Raonic and Wawrinka. If this final goes to a five set thriller Cilic could have the edge. But nothing is for certain in this year’s US Open. One man will definitely be looking on thinking what could have been. Would those shock defeats even have happened if he was on court to retain his title?