Murray and Djokovic to provide epic collision between friends and rivals

THEY ARE fierce rivals and long-time friends. Over a computer in the bowels of Flushing Meadows, as the winds howled outside, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic watched together as their respective countries, Scotland and Serbia, played out a scoreless draw in the World Cup qualifying rounds.

However, there is a new edge between them, a bristling vibration in their professional lives as they prepare for what should be another struggle of high intensity, this time to decide the US Open in the delayed final at Flushing Meadows today.

It could be better than any of their 14 matches, of which Djokovic has won eight, Murray six of the past 10, including their most recent contest, in two sets in the semi-finals at the London Olympics.

Yet, given the events and pronouncements of recent days, this final promises to be a collision suited to the loud, anarchic surroundings here because, if an extra ingredient were needed, Djokovic has provided it – in word and deed.

Hitting with the urgency of an angry man, the defending champion set subtlety to one side as he came from a set down to belt David Ferrer into submission in four sets yesterday in the held over second semi-final and looked in as mean a mood as his recent statement about his relationships with Murray and other leading players might suggest.

They were born a week apart and have known each since Murray beat him in a junior tournament at the age of 11, but now, at 25, the Serb says they must stand back from that.

A couple of days ago Djokovic said of Murray’s win over Roger Federer in the Olympic final: “The gold [medal] in London was great for Andy. I think he will use it as a springboard to now go and win majors.

“I can’t be friends with Andy, though. I really like the guy, but how can you be best friends with a guy you know you are going to be doing battle with?

“It is true for myself, Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and now Andy. We like each other and there is mutual respect but common sense tells you we can’t be best friends and hang out.”

And yet, even at the heart of sporting tumult, there was time for them to forget for a little while the burden of their calling and enjoy the simple shared pleasure of football.

“We watched [Scotland v Serbia] before his semi-final, on the computer,” Djokovic said yesterday. “We tried to be quiet but inside we were cheering for our own national teams.”

And who was smiling widest at the end?

“Two minutes before the end he went to warm up, so ... then we had the great chance, but we missed. I think it was fair, 0-0.”

There will be no sharing of the spoils on the Arthur Ashe Court today, in the fifth US Open final in a row to spill over into a day tacked on to the tournament because of the predictably poor weather.

Every year it rains; every year they cover their ears but not the courts. Next year they will rearrange the fixture list to unclog the traffic jam of the final weekend.