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For the first time in the Open era, which began in 1968, the same two men, Nadal and Novak Djokovic, will meet for the third consecutive time in the final of a Grand Slam tournament. If recent history is any indication, there will be fabulous passing shots, long rallies and even longer skid marks burned onto Rod Laver Arena's blue court.
But this particular match (3:30 a.m. EST Sunday on ESPN2) promises to be a test of endurance, nerves and tactics unlike any of their previous battles. And there are signs the result could be different.
Last year, these two men played six times, all in finals, and each match ended the same way: Djokovic smiled and held the trophy while Nadal, once the most confident and unshakable player in the sport, looked crestfallen....
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