Well we’ve sat and watched patiently for 10 days now and the time has finally come to see the cream of the crop ply their trade on Rod Laver Arena.
Stanislas Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic will meet for the third time in as many years at the pointy end of the tournament and everyone is expecting an epic after both players put on blistering exhibitions in their respective quarter-finals.
Wawrinka dispatched Kei Nishikori in straight sets with a brutal display of power, giftwrapped in that beautiful one-handed backhand that is the envy of everyone on tour.
Forget BBL04, in the space of two hours Wawrinka displayed more power with one hand than any pinch-hitting batsman did with two over the last month or so.
He has ensured (along with his countryman Roger Federer) that the slow, painful death of the one-hand backhand will be put on ice for a few years yet, as he ripped winners all over the court seemingly at will.
If Wawrinka was looking to make a statement, Djokovic certainly took note, and duly issued a straight sets walloping of his own to young Canadian Milos Raonic.
Nicknamed the ‘Maple Leaf Missile’, the 6’6” world number eight has possession of tennis’ deadliest serve.
Looking at last night’s score line, you wouldn’t know it. 7-6 6-4 6-2 looks like the typical first round stroll a world number one goes through in every Grand Slam.
Djokovic has long been considered the best returner in tennis, however his form of late has included a markedly improved serve. He has only dropped his serve once throughout the entire tournament thus far.
It was hard enough finding holes in Novak’s game several years ago, but know he is being down right rude with this new serve and all.
He’s playing like a PlayStation character out there now, running down everything and not missing a ball with five-star shots littered in his bio.
Wawrinka will have his hands full getting a ball past the Serb, who makes the court look far too small given his speed and agility.
If Wawrinka’s backhand is power, Novak’s is control, and it is the contrast in styles that often make for the most memorable of matches.
Having delivered the goods for two years running now, you’d be a pessimist to assume tomorrow night’s battle won’t have all the ingredients necessary to stir the crowd into a five set frenzy.
We’ve had the upset of Federer and the emergence of youth in Nick Kyrgios, but Australian Open 2015 is still missing the give-set classic a slam so badly wants every year.
This match could be it.
Grab a cold beer, stock up on snacks and shotgun the comfy chair because this one could be a marathon.
And if it doesn’t deliver, just be glad that a bloke out there is still displaying the most beautiful shot in tennis with effortless power and balance.
My prediction?
Wawrinka in five, from a biased tennis nut.
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