Novak Djokovic vs Kevin Anderson
There are four men remaining in the ATP Finals 2018, and all of these four men showed us through the year why they deserve to be the top dog of the Men’s Singles event.
While the duel between Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev is an interesting match to watch in itself, a good number of tennis fans would agree if I say that the Novak Djokovic-Kevin Anderson match promises more interesting ATP Finals 2018 news headlines as both are very interesting players.
Sentimental tennis fans who root for the underdog will hope that the South African tennis star who is known for his iron-steel mental strength would be able to find vindication through this tournament. However, many of the hardcore tennis fans and the SBOBET veterans know that the money is in Djokovic, and making a punt against him is like giving away your money for free.
The Serbian will be coming to this game as the heavy favourite, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the South African pulls off the biggest result of the year against Djokovic.
Talking Points
Djokovic Won’t Be Joking This Time, Either
There’s one thing people are on the fence about Novak Djokovic lately, and that’s definitely the way he is acting angry on and of the tennis court. The Serbian has let go of his usually calm demeanour and has begun huffing around the court, acting like someone stole his favourite toy as a child and that nobody taught him how to properly express his feelings since.
While the Serbian has been polarizing fans as of late, his change of attitude has somehow changed him for the better as he won a number of important competitions (with Wimbledon and the US Open being the most important ones) and now sits at the top of the ATP rankings once more.
Of course, not everything has been rosy for Djokovic this year. He didn’t play well at all during the first half of 2018, exiting almost every important tournament he joined earlier than what was expected. At that point in time, many were already dismissing the Djoker as he has struggled to recover his form for almost two years at that point.
Another blunder of his is that he still falls prey to younger opposition. His match against Karen Khachanov at the Paris Masters final saw the Serbian struggling to get his footing in the match. This means that Anderson could possibly make the upset of the year if he prevents Novak from playing his game.
However, I don’t think Djokovic will allow such a thing to happen again. He dominated Zverev, Marin Cilic and John Isner in the round robin, and I don’t see him stumbling on his way to the final.
Djokovic wants silverware, and he isn’t joking about it. He wants to win, and he’ll do everything to ensure that the prize is his to lift.
Can Anderson Pull Off Another Marathon?
I think Kevin Anderson will be the first man to tell you that he may be a bit outclassed by his opponent. After all, he was fairly beaten by the Serbian during the 2018 Wimbledon final, a Major trophy he so badly wanted. Their contrasting runs of form through the season doesn’t also give much hope for the South African.
However, if there’s one thing he has an advantage over Djokovic, that would be his mental strength. I believe he would thrive best against Novak if he manages to pull Djokovic into a long rally where one mental slip would result in an important point lost.
No one can ever forget the appalling number of games he played against John Isner in the Wimbledon semi-final in order to reach the final. That kind of mental fortitude is not something that can be taught to professional players. That is something innate in them.
If Anderson has the mental fortitude of a Charles Xavier playing tennis while levitated, he definitely has a chance at one-upping Djokovic. All he has to do is make sure he plays his game while he rattles Novak with some psychological warfare and aims for the long game.
Given how easy it is to light Djokovic these days, this is no more than an easy task for the crafty South African.
History
Kevin Anderson had a good run in the round robin to get him through to the knockout stages. he defeated Kei Nishikori with ease and got entangled in a long match with Dominic Thiem to secure his second win. He may have lost to Roger Federer, but he made sure that nothing was easy for the Swiss maestro.
Meanwhile, Djokovic crushed his opponents in the group stages. He beat Alexander Zverev with a dominant second-set display, played steadily against John Isner, and had a tough opener against Marin Cilic before eventually easing through for his third straight win.
In terms of the head-to-head, Djokovic has the lead. Anderson won their first contest in the 2008 Miami Masters, but the Serb has since won six straight against his South African foe in all surfaces.
What are the odds?
If you believe that Novak Djokovic is the sure winner for this semi-final clash, the SBOBET tennis market has an interesting offer for you. The ATP Finals 2018 betting odds for the Serb is at -1.50 handicap for 1.52.
However, those who see Kevin Anderson taking the game to full sets better check his +1.50 boost for 2.47. I personally think that Anderson will be able to take this to the distance, but Djokovic can very well end things in straight sets.
The good news for everyone is that we will definitely see some top-quality tennis!
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE TENNIS STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
