The line up for the final of the last of the Nine Super series ATP 1000 has been set as World number one Novak Djokovic and the second ranked Andy Murray eliminated the Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka and the Spaniard David Ferrer respectively in the semifinals on Saturday in Bercy, Paris. The Scot Andy Murray can clinch the year ending world number two ranking should he upset he upset the Serb Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final. Djokivic will be hoping to win his sixth ATP 1000 title of the year.

Murray has dropped only one set this week against the Frenchman Richard Gasquet end route to his seventh tour-level final of the season with a commanding 6-4,6-3 win over the Veteran Spaniard in one hour and thirty six minutes. Murray reeled off the last five games in the second set but had to stave off three break points in the eighth game of the opening set. He improves his head to head record against Ferrer to 11-6. Ferrer has won five titles this year.

Murray won his maiden clay court title in Munich (d. Kohlschreiber), his first Masters 1000 win on clay in Madrid ( d. Nadal), a fourth title at the Queen’s Club in London ( d. Anderson) and a third Roger’s Cup Masters 1000 event in Toronto ( d. Djokovic).

Djokovic was extended to three sets by the Swiss Wawrinka who had, earlier in the season, thwarted Djokovic’s bid for a career slam with an astounding win in the final of the French Open in Roland Garros. The Serb took the first set with only one service break, while Wawrinka evened the proceedings and took the match to a deciding third set.

As it happened in the semifinal of the Australian Open this year, Djokovic bageled Wawrinka and sealed the one hour fifty one minute match 6-3,3-6,6-0. Wawrinka dropped to 53-16 for the year and now trails 4-19 against Djokovic in career meetings. He has won four titles this year.

Djokovic has nine tour level titles this year including the Australian Open (d. Murray), Wimbledon (d. Federer) and at the U.S. Open ( d. Federer). He also has five Masters 1000 events this year in Indian Wells (d. Federer), Miami (d. Murray), Monte Carlo (d. Berdych), Rome ( d. Federer) and Shanghai (d. Tsonga). He also triumphed at the ATP 500 event in Beijing (d. Nadal).

Djokovic has won 25 ATP 1000 events in his career and is closing in on the all time leader Rafael Nadal who has claimed 27. Murray has won 11 ATP 1000 events. The Serb also has 57 career titles including 10 majors, while Murray has 35 career titles including two majors and a Gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

The line up for the final with my pick mentioned first and their year to date record is as under :-

Andy Murray (2) (68-11) v. Novak Djokovic (1) (77-5); Djokovic leads 20-9.

Prediction : Murray in three sets.

– Rasesh Mehta [Rasesh Mehta is an analyst with the Tennis Galaxy.You can reach him at the email: sportzcosmos@gmail.com]