U.S. Open final preview

September 14, 1:49 AMPro Tennis ExaminerGrayson Blakeley

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AP Photos/Charles Krupa and Elise Amendola - Roger Federer will go for his 6th straight title in New York on Monday against the young Juan Martin del Potro
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Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro will play in the men's final at the U.S. Open on Monday. For Federer, it will be his 21st Grand Slam final. For Del Potro, it will be his first. Federer, at 27 years of age, already has the record for the most Grand Slam victories in a career, and Del Potro, who is a mere 20 years old, will try to win his first Grand Slam on Monday.

There is no question who will bring experience to the battle, but experience is not everything when one is dealing with a six-foot-six-inch giant with a killer serve and booming ground-strokes.

Sunday's semifinal match between Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal was a showcase of Del Potro's phenomenal talent. Nadal was hopeless against the Argentine, watching winner after winner zip down the lines. Del Potro served unbelievably well, hit his ground-strokes flawlessly, and played surprisingly well at the net. Del Potro simply destroyed Nadal, winning the match 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, the worst beating Nadal has ever received in a major. Although Nadal has been struggling with abdominal pains, after the match he said, "He played much better than me, and for that reason he beat me."

Unlike Del Potro's semifinal match, Federer's was a tight one. Number one ranked Roger Federer took on the highly underrated Serbian Novak Djokovic. Djokovic fought hard throughout the match, but in the end, Federer was just too good. On the second-to-last point of the match, Djokovic dropped a lob shot over Federer's head, and Federer hit an unbelievable cross-court winner...between his legs. After the match, Federer said simply: "It was the greatest shot I ever hit in my life." Federer finished the match on the following point, wrapping up the 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-5 victory.

So who will win the title in New York? Both players played very well in their semifinal matches. Federer is going for his sixth straight title in New York, and his 41st straight match victory at the U.S. Open. Del Potro simply wants to win a Grand Slam.

If Del Potro wants to have a chance, he will have to win the opening set. In his career, Federer is 43-1 at the U.S. Open when he wins the first set.

If Del Potro plays the same game that he has been all tournament, the final promises to be a good one.

Prediction: I'm sticking with my original pick,
Juan Martin del Potro defeats Roger Federer in four sets.

Catch the action on CBS on Monday, September 14th at 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time.