U.S. Open 2014: Schedule, TV coverage and live streaming for Day 15

Novak Djokovic versus Roger Federer would’ve been an exciting-yet-somehow-also-boring finish to this year’s U.S. Open. But no one has to worry about that hypothetical contradiction, because both of the favorites were upset in the semifinals. Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Croatia’s Marin Cilic will vie for the championship on Monday.

If you’re the sort of person who only roots for underdogs, you’ll basically have to split hairs on who to root for -- unless you consider the finalists world rankings. Nishikori came into the event ranked 11th and Cilic came in at No. 16, so they aren’t necessarily a pair of Davids standing over their respective Goliaths, but in some ways, it might seem that way.

Nishikori recently decided to hire former French Open champion Michael Chang to get his game to the next level. It has worked according to the results. The 24-year-old has beaten every elite player in the world except Rafael Nadal, whom he nearly bested on clay in the Madrid Open this year. He was forced to retire from that match with a back injury that has slowed his unfinished rise to the top of the tennis world.

He can take another huge step toward that ephemeral feat by becoming the first-ever Asian-born player to win a Grand Slam title. And he’ll be attempting to do so against Cilic, who, by beating Roger Federer, guaranteed that none of the Big Four -- Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Andy Murray -- would see the final. This final will be the first in which that has happened since 2005. In this tournament Nishikori has beaten an impressive string of competitors to reach the final -- World no. 6 Milos Raonic and World no. 3 Stan Wawrinka.

However, Cilic will be strong competition for the budding Japanese star. He beat both Federer and World no. 7 Tomas Berdych in straight sets to reach the final. He has a career 2-5 record against Nishikori, however, so if he aims to win the tournament, he’ll have to be at the top of his game.

The 25-year-old is sure to move up from his 16th overall ranking. He may even pass his personal best in the endeavor. His highest ranking was 9th in 2010.

Federer might not be “surprised,” but for people who aren’t the greatest player of all time, this final is, yes, a little surprising. The winner will have won his first major and, perhaps, be on his way to becoming a household name.

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