The men's final is set, and while it may not quite be the one that everyone expected, it is pretty darn close.  It might also prove to be equally as entertaining.  Top seed Novak Djokovic has held up his end of the bargain to reach the championship and keep his bid to secure a thirteenth major singles title alive.  On the other side of the net is Stan Wawrinka.  The third seed has done well to fight his way here and now finds himself in prime form just in time to potentially play spoiler.  There is sure to be some spectacular shot-making as these two duke it out to determine who will be crowned the 2016 US Open Champion.

Two years ago, fans and pundits would have looked at this match and naturally assumed Djokovic was the clear favorite.  On paper, he still appears that way.  He plays consistently better tennis than Wawrinka week-in and week-out, and in terms of slams and Masters tournaments won, Djokovic's numbers dwarf those of the Swiss.  But the last couple of seasons, the third seed has shown that has little bearing when he takes to the court against Djokovic.  He clipped the Serb on his way to the 2014 Australian Open title and then broke his heart the following year in the final of Roland Garros.  Wawrinka is unlikely to bat an eye at doing the same to Djokovic in New York. 

If Djokovic wants to avoid the upset, then there is no question that he has to bring his A-game and play it smart.  He obviously wants to have a good serving day, but he should also look to put the majority of his serves into the Wawrinka forehand.  The Swiss has a tendency to just block that return back, which will leave the Serb in a better position to seize control of the rally from the start.  His return also has to be clicking, particularly when he gets a look at a second serve.  Furthermore, he has to ensure that he is regularly staying up on the baseline, mixing up his shots, and always looking to be aggressive.  He may be the superior mover, but he does not want to bank on his defense if Wawrinka is striking the ball well.  Instead, he has to take it to the Swiss and put him on his toes to make life easier on himself.

As for Wawrinka, he is looking to blast away.  He is the more powerful ball-striker, and as he showed in Paris, can ultimately out hit any opponent off the court.  He still wants to use his variety, especially from his backhand wing, and he is going to need to look to move forward and rob the top seed of precious time.  It is imperative that he have a good day on serve as well because he knows how deadly the return of Djokovic can be.  In the end, though, it boils down to Wawrinka successfully bludgeoning the ball both up the line and crosscourt to make Djokovic feel the pressure and spray errors.

And speaking of pressure, it is apt to be the man who handles it best that plays the greatest role in determining the outcome of this championship.  It is also the most interesting aspect because it is hard to say who truly has the edge.  Again on paper, Djokovic looks the obvious choice.  He has won twelve of these titles already, so he has been here far more often than the Swiss.  He has dominated their rivalry 19-4 and has won four of their six meetings at the majors.  But Djokovic has to deal with the pressure that comes with being the favorite, too.  He also arguably has to have this victory more than Wawrinka.  After falling early at Wimbledon and the huge disappointment in Rio, there is a sense that he needs this victory to firmly reestablish himself as the top dog in men's tennis.

Wawrinka is not going to concern himself with how Djokovic is feeling, however.  He is going to be more concerned with how he is psychologically prepared to handle the occasion, and truth be told, he has ample reason to like his chances.  He has won the only other two major championships he has contested, and he has won his last ten finals overall.  Additionally, four of his six meetings at the majors with Djokovic have gone the distance, so he is aware that he could easily have a few more wins over the Serb under his belt.  He has the luxury of being the underdog, and as Djokovic himself acknowledged, he has become a big-match player.  All told, he should not find himself short on belief when he takes to the court on Sunday.

As noted earlier, these two have put on some absolute classics in past majors.  If they do so again, then fans will have something to savor.  It also means that either one could easily emerge as the champion.  It would no longer be a surprise to see Wawrinka be the last man standing.  He has always had the imposing game, but he now has the mental fortitude to see him to the finish.  That said, it is once again Djokovic who has to be labeled as the likely victory, if only by a shred.  The way he has played the last couple of seasons cannot be ignored, and when at his best, he has illustrated that he is all but impossible to put away.  It will likely be tough and likely be close, but after a bizarre trip to the final, expect Djokovic to end his US Open campaign in a familiar manner – hoisting the trophy.