The world's two best players clash for a third consecutive time in a Grand Slam final when Novak Djokovic takes on Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final on Sunday night.
It is the first time in history the same two players have contested a major final three times in a row and it promises to be a gripping contest.
Djokovic, the top seed and defending champion, has showed no signs of slowing down from his phenomenal 2011, while Nadal looks to have finally recaptured the form that took him to No.1 for a total of 102 weeks.
Djokovic dropped just 10 games en route to the fourth round when he faced his first real test in the form of Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt. The Serb had to withstand a brave fightback from the local before clinching the match in four tight sets.
A straight sets victory over fifth seed David Ferrer followed, setting up a semi-final showdown against world No.4 Andy Murray.
In one of the greatest matches ever played at Melbourne Park, Djokovic fought back from two sets to one down to triumph in a marathon match that lasted just short of five hours.
Nadal's passage to the final has been similar in that he breezed through his opening four matches before breaking down the stern resistance provided by sixth seed Tomas Berdych.
In a high quality encounter, Nadal came from a set down to book a final four clash with old foe Roger Federer.
Nadal again came from a set down to defeat the world No.3 in a match that many labelled one of the best ever semi-finals in Melbourne.
This meeting will be the 30th clash between the two rivals with Nadal holding a slight edge in the head-to-head (16-13). Fifteen of those battles have been on hard court with Djokovic well in front with 10 victories.
But Nadal hasn't tasted success against Djokovic since the ATP Tour Finals in London in 2010 with Djokovic winning all six of their clashes last year, including the Wimbledon and US Open finals.
Based on that you would say Djokovic has the mental edge but working against the favourite is his one less day of rest after a much harder semi-final.
Djokovic said he will put all his focus on recovery with a breathing problem also troubling the Serb during the past two matches. Although the fact he was able to fight back against Murray suggests that the problem won't hamper him during the match.
Nadal has also had his fair share of injury problems with a knee complaint on the eve of the Open almost forcing him to withdraw. He insists he is 100 percent now but you get the feeling that if these two slug it out for five sets it could be a survival of the fittest.
Picking a winner is no easy task but Nadal just has that aura about him that he is back to his unbeatable best and we expect him to lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for the second time in his career on Sunday night.