Australian Open tennis odds: Stanislas Wawrinka vs. Rafael Nadal

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal can make history on Saturday night USA time when he takes on Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka for the Australian Open title. Nadal is a huge WagerWeb favorite to become the first man in the Open Era to win each of tennis’ Grand Slam tournaments at least twice.
Nadal continued his domination of Roger Federer in the semifinals, creating more distance in their long rivalry with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-3 win in the Australian Open semifinals Friday at Rod Laver Arena. Nadal, seeking his second Grand Slam title in Melbourne and his 14th overall, leads the head-to-head with Federer 23-10, including 9-2 at majors.
Despite the strong week by Federer, on Monday he will not be the highest-ranked Swiss player; that will be Wawrinka. It’s the first time Wawrinka will be ranked ahead of Federer; the duo teamed to win gold in doubles at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Nadal missed the 2013 Australian Open during a seven-month layoff for illness and a knee injury, but he returned to win the French and U.S. Opens among his 10 titles for the season and finished the year at No. 1. He won the Australian Open in 2009, beating Federer in the final, and lost in a five-set, 5-hour, 53-minute 2012 final to Novak Djokovic after ousting Federer in the semis. In other years, he’s struggled with injuries — it’s the only Grand Slam tournament he hasn’t won at least twice.
A victory for Nadal on Sunday (in Australia) will tie him with Pete Sampras at 14 Grand Slam titles and make him the first man in the Open era — and only third in history — to win each of the four major titles twice.
Wawrinka is playing his 36th Grand Slam tournament and in his first finals. Wawrinka held his nerve beautifully in a 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) victory over Tomas Berdych on Thursday night in Melbourne. There was only a single break of serve, in the first set by Wawrinka. He converted 1 of 4 break chances, while Berdych was 0-for-1. In the quarterfinals, Wawrinka took down No. 2 seed Djokovic — ending the Serb’s 28-match winning streak and, more importantly, Wawrinka’s 0-for-14 slump against him
Nadal has owned Wawrinka, going 12-0 all time. The last met in the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of last season with Nadal winning 7-6, 7-6. Amazingly, Nadal has never dropped a set to Wawrinka. The two have played in the Aussie Open once, in 2007. Nadal won 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.
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World No. 1 Rafael Nadal can make history on Saturday night USA time when he takes on Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka for the Australian Open title. Nadal is a huge WagerWeb favorite to become the first man in the Open Era to win each of tennis’ Grand Slam tournaments at least twice.

Nadal continued his domination of Roger Federer in the semifinals, creating more distance in their long rivalry with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-3 win in the Australian Open semifinals Friday at Rod Laver Arena. Nadal, seeking his second Grand Slam title in Melbourne and his 14th overall, leads the head-to-head with Federer 23-10, including 9-2 at majors.

Despite the strong week by Federer, on Monday he will not be the highest-ranked Swiss player; that will be Wawrinka. It’s the first time Wawrinka will be ranked ahead of Federer; the duo teamed to win gold in doubles at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Nadal missed the 2013 Australian Open during a seven-month layoff for illness and a knee injury, but he returned to win the French and U.S. Opens among his 10 titles for the season and finished the year at No. 1. He won the Australian Open in 2009, beating Federer in the final, and lost in a five-set, 5-hour, 53-minute 2012 final to Novak Djokovic after ousting Federer in the semis. In other years, he’s struggled with injuries — it’s the only Grand Slam tournament he hasn’t won at least twice.

A victory for Nadal on Sunday (in Australia) will tie him with Pete Sampras at 14 Grand Slam titles and make him the first man in the Open era — and only third in history — to win each of the four major titles twice.

Wawrinka is playing his 36th Grand Slam tournament and in his first finals. Wawrinka held his nerve beautifully in a 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) victory over Tomas Berdych on Thursday night in Melbourne. There was only a single break of serve, in the first set by Wawrinka. He converted 1 of 4 break chances, while Berdych was 0-for-1. In the quarterfinals, Wawrinka took down No. 2 seed Djokovic — ending the Serb’s 28-match winning streak and, more importantly, Wawrinka’s 0-for-14 slump against him

Nadal has owned Wawrinka, going 12-0 all time. The last met in the ATP World Tour Finals at the end of last season with Nadal winning 7-6, 7-6. Amazingly, Nadal has never dropped a set to Wawrinka. The two have played in the Aussie Open once, in 2007. Nadal won 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.