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Mahut going after his fourth ATP crown, Muller his first

This is a duel between two players specialized for the grass courts. Mahut lost only two services on his way to the final, Muller only one, and considering their great first serve, we can expect a tough duel today

It's no secret that Nicholas Mahut has been playing his best tennis in his thirties. After a lot of problems with the injuries, things kind of set to a place three years ago, in Hertogenbosch, actually, when he won his first ATP title. He did it again last year, which only confirmed this was his favorite tournament, and a new confirmation took place this year. 

The world's best doubles' player will now play a new final. He got here with four valuable wins in which he was a set behind three times. Those turnarounds themselves confirm how confident he's feeling. The only thing to do for everything he's presented so far is to congratulate him.

He started the yesterday's semis against Querrey just like the quarterfinal against Tomic - by losing a tie-break in the first set. Even though his serve was firm this time, he didn't play his best tennis in the tie-break, but then things turned around. His return hits got better in the next two sets, and he got six break-point chances, using two. His serve got better, too, and he didn't offer a single break-point in the rest of the game. The final numbers show his first serve was just as successful as Querrey's, and he was much better with his second (73% compared to 58%). He definitely deserved to play a new final in Hertogenbosch.

- It's hard to even explain how I'm feeling in this tournament. I love these courts and the atmosphere and it really suits me. I've got a tough win, and a new final to play where I just want to play my best - the 34-year-old Mahut said. This could be his fourth ATP title, from the grass courts again.

Muller is a year younger, and still didn't get a single title, which makes him one of the great players without a confirmation like that. He had some tough periods and a lot of comebacks, but he found his place in the ATP scene in the last years, too. He's now in the Top 50. He kind of specialized for the grass courts, too, and he confirmed it by getting to the Hertogenbosch final this year.

He got four wins, too, losing only one service game, and he definitely faced some dangerous return hitters (Ferrer). After eliminating the first seed, he faced a completely different challenge in the semis yesterday, Ivo Karlović. After a great return hitter, he faced what could be the best server, but Gilles adjusted just fine. It was an extremely hard and tough match that ended with no break-points on either side. It was just a serve-point after a serve-point, and everything was solved in the tie-breaks where Gilles was better in the end. His return was more dangerous (15 compared to eight), and his service was brilliant - 96% success on 75% first serve points, 22 aces. 

- It was a really tough match and I'm really happy to be in the final - Muller kept it short after a great win.

Now he will face a player who's got a great serve again, but is even more dangerous in the rallies. He faced Mahut six times so far, and it's interesting that they were all challenger duels, except one futures one. They played their last duel in 2011, but even then it was obvious they both had tough game and great serve. In their last four duels, three started with a tie-break, and it should be mentioned that Mahut lost only two serves here, and Muller one. We can expect a tough match where every chance will be worth gold, and the nerves will have an important role to play. 

Mahut and Muller are specialized for the grass courts, and definitely deserved to play this final. Mahut showed how great he feels here, and despite a few weaker starts, he managed to get to the final here for the third time. He missed only two service games in four matches, and started two matches with a tie-break. So, the statistics don't really support that option here, but a deeper analysis is due. In 14 matches in the last two years here, he started with a tie-break four times, but there haven't really been good servers across the net. What's really relevant here, to me, is that he did it with Tomic and Querrey here, and that's what kind of a player he's going to face today. Muller lost only one service game in four matches here, and started with a tie-break twice, also against the strong servers (Karlović, Hasse). He's got 6-6 in favor of this option this year and last, and it's worth the mention that despite facing Mahut in what seems like ancient history, three of the last four duels also started this way.