Novak Djokovic meets Rafael Nadal on Monday in the 2013 US Open final. The match is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. Watch the live stream HERE.
World No. 1 Djokovic and No. 2 Nadal meet for the fourth time this year. Both men are looking for their second US Open Title. Djokovic, who won in 2011, suffered a scare in his semifinal bout against Stanislas Wawrinka, needing five sets to pull out the victory.
"I just tried to hang on and fight and be mentally tough and believe all the way through I can actually win," Djokovic said, via USA Today Sports.
Djokovic, who lost to Nadal in the Rogers Cup and Roland Garros semifinals, recognizes the challenge that the "King of Clay" is now posing on hard courts.
"It's always the biggest challenge you can have in our sport now," Djokovic said of his longtime rival. "I mean, he's the ultimate competitor out there. He's fighting for every ball, and he's playing probably the best tennis that he ever played on hard courts."
Nadal, meanwhile, has carried his surprisingly dominant performance on hard courts this season into the US Open. The Spaniard has dropped only one set through six rounds in New York. A straight-set victory over Richard Gasquet in the semifinals earned Nadal a spot in the final.
The reigning French Open champion returned to tennis in February after being sidelined for seven months with a knee injury. Since his return, Nadal has reached 12 of 13 finals, USA Today Sports reports.
After missing the US Open last year because of the injury, Nadal is thrilled to be back in the Grand Slam final.
"Just amazing, no?" Nadal said, via USA Today Sports. "After what happened last year I had the chance to play on this court and have the chance to play in final Monday is a dream for me."
History is on Nadal's side. In their previous 36 head-to-heads, the Spaniard has won 21 times.
*Stats via ATPWorldTour.com and MatchStat.com.
