US Open 2019 Men's singles final: Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev

The 2019 US Open Men's Singles final will be played between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev. Nadal defeated first time Grand Slam semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini in straight sets 7-6,6-4,6-1. Meanwhile, Medvedev also defeated Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, 7-6,6-4,6-3.

Both finalists faced and eventually saved set points in the opening sets of their semi-finals. Both players overcame the initial challenge and eventually took control and dominated the next two sets to book their seats in the final. Nadal was able to escape not just one, but two set points during his first set tie break against the Italian.

Once the first obstacle was behind him, Nadal overpowered his opponent. Berrettini tried to fight back with a lethal forehand, but Nadal was in a different class. The Spaniard will be entering Sunday's final as the overwhelming favourite. The 18-time Grand Slam title holder will be aiming to close the gap to Roger Federer's 20 Grand Slam title record. He will also be aiming to pull away from Novak Djokovic, who currently holds 16 titles.

Even though Nadal is the clear favourite, Daniil Medvedev is a real threat. He arrived at the US Open fresh from a victory at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters. He is in the best form of his life and an appearance in back-to-back finals shows that he is very consistent. Rafael Nadal may not be facing Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic in the final, but the match won't necessarily be easier.

Medvedev will be aiming to secure his first Grand Slam title against a man who has done it 18 times. He will have high hopes but he knows that he's facing the toughest possible challenge in his career. In an interview shared by Fox Sports, he said, "He's one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport. He's just a machine, a beast on the court. The energy he's showing is just amazing. To play him in your first grand slam final should be, I want to say, a funny thing. It's not going to be a funny thing, but it's going to be an amazing thing to live."

The pair recently faced off in the Roger's Cup final last month. Nadal came up on top in straight sets on that occasion. It remains to be seen if Medvedev can turn things around on Sunday.