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NEW YORK, N.Y. - It is among the most unexpected championship matchups in Grand Slam tennis history: Kei Nishikori against Marin Cilic in the U.S. Open final. Neither is currently ranked in the top 10. Neither has previously played in a major final, let alone won one. You can catch all the action starting today at 5pm et/2pm pt on TSN2 and TSN GO. "If somebody told you a Nishikori-Cilic final at the U.S. Open, three weeks ago, you would look at them like they dont know what theyre talking about," said 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, Cilics coach. "But its happening on Monday." Yes, it is, putting an end to a 9 1/2-year, 38-Slam stretch in which at least one — and 17 times, two — of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal participated in the title match, winning 34 of them. Cilic eliminated Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals. Nishikori, a star in his native Japan but based since age 14 in Florida, got past Djokovic 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to become the first man from Asia to get to a major singles final. (Nadal, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, did not try to defend his title because of a right wrist injury.) "Well," Cilic summed up, "its a bit of a change up." And just think about where these two guys were a year ago at this time. Cilic was at home in Croatia, barred from entering the U.S. Open because of a doping suspension he says he didnt deserve. He tested positive for a stimulant at a tournament in Germany in May 2013, and the International Tennis Federation sought a two-year ban. He said he ingested the substance unintentionally via a glucose tablet bought at a pharmacy. He initially was suspended for nine months, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced that to four months on appeal last October, saying, "the sanction imposed was too severe." The court also restored ranking points and prize money that had been taken from Cilic. "You can see theres a justice," Ivanisevic said. "Theres somebody upstairs watching. He was accused for nothing. He was sitting ... for nothing." After his startlingly straightforward ouster by Cilic on Saturday, Federer was asked whether he was at all uncomfortable with the idea that he was beaten by a guy who recently served a ban for doping. "Im fine with it. I truly believed he didnt do anything wrong in the sense that he did (not do) it on purpose. Was he stupid, maybe? Maybe. You know, yeah. But I feel like I know him well enough, and I dont think he would ever do it," Federer said. "I dont quite remember what the circumstances were, but I feel more bad for him than anything else." Nishikori, meanwhile, left Flushing Meadows 12 months ago with a straight-set, first-round loss to a qualifier ranked 179th. He arrived this year with a reputation for injury issues. As recently as three weeks ago, he was forced to hit shots while seated at practice, because he couldnt run after having a cyst removed from the bottom of his right foot in August. "I tried to work on my body a lot this year," said Nishikori, who has won five of seven previous matches against Cilic. "Even last year, too." And now? Nishikori is viewed in a very different light after winning a pair of five-setters totalling more than 8 1/2 hours against No. 3-seeded Stan Wawrinka and No. 5 Milos Raonic, before beating No. 1 Djokovic in stifling heat and humidity. "After every match that he wins," said Nishikoris coach, 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, "I keep telling him, Were not done yet." Nishikori is seeded 10th, but ranked 11th. Cilic is seeded 14th, but ranked 16th. Its the first time since the 2002 French Open that two men outside the top 10 met in a Grand Slam final. That hasnt happened in New York since Patrick Rafter beat Greg Rusedski in 1997, which also was the last year two players made their major final debut at Flushing Meadows. "Its going to be a tricky final. First final for both of the guys, theyre going to both be nervous," Ivanisevic said. "But whoever wins is going to be on top of the world. You know, Mount Everest is Monday." Cheap Soccer Jerseys .J. Mayo made seven three-pointers and scored 25 points, Ersan Ilyasova added 20, and the Milwaukee Bucks placed seven players in double figures in a 130-110 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost their 11th straight game on Monday night. Custom Soccer Jerseys . LOUIS -- When Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornicky backpedaled into shallow right field to catch the popup and Jason Heyward didnt arrive fast enough to take charge, Kolten Wong got the green light. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/ . Durant had 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, hit the tying 3-pointer late in regulation and made the go-ahead foul shots in overtime to lift the Thunder past the Wizards 106-105. John Wall missed a driving layup attempt at the buzzer for Washington, which was seeking its third straight win. Cyber Monday Soccer Jerseys .C. -- Theyll remember the OT from the first Syracuse-Duke game -- and the Ts that decided Round 2. Soccer Jerseys China . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.Chris Coleman has paid tribute to Joe Ledley with the Crystal Palace midfielder set to feature at some point in Wales opening Euro 2016 match against Slovakia on Saturday. Ledley has made a remarkable recovery after fracturing his leg playing for Palace against Stoke early last month, an injury that ruled him out of the FA Cup final defeat against Manchester United.A matter of four weeks later Ledley is training fully with the Wales squad and Coleman said on Friday that he would be part of his plans for Saturdays match in Bordeaux. Coleman said: To get to where he is, is an unbelievable job, just fantastic. Hes always been in my consideration and I think he is one of those players who is important on and off the pitch - his character, what he brings to the group.Im not going to give anything away at the moment but he is available to play some part, whether thats a start or to come on as a substitute. Chris Coleman is confident Wales can progress to the knockout stages of Euro 2016 but stressed they have to perform well Hes been really impressive in training and for him to get to where he is now, considering where he came from at the end of the season - physically and mentally - hes shown what he is made of. Its a credit (to him).Coleman is managing at a major international tournament for the first time and he is relishing the chance to test Wales in such an arena after they qualified for the European Championship for the first time.They will be backed by a large travelling support and Coleman is determined to give them something to cheer, insisting again they are not there to make up the numbers. Walesfootball team insist theyre not just at Euro 2016 to make up the numbers ahead of their opening match against Slovakia He added: Were delighted to be here.ddddddddddddI thought it would never happen but we are here. Its something we have dreamed about for a long time, a major tournament, so we are super-excited and very much looking forward to the challenge on Saturday.I understand we have got 25 or 30,000 Welsh supporters to back us which is incredible, so we want to do them proud. We are going to enter the tournament with the same spirit we entered our (qualifying) campaign and that is when we walk on to the pitch we give everything for our jersey. After a year in which Gareth Bale won a second Champions League can he lead Wales to glory at Euro 2016? Watch his best goals from last season What will be will be after that, but we will make sure we take care of our performance and do our nation proud.Its not the time to sit back and enjoy the moment. We have to perform like we can and then we can enjoy the moment. The team we have got has not been together since Andorra, which is eight or nine months, and thats a long time.But this is the gang that got us to the tournament because they were consistent, and hard-working, with a splash of brilliance in there. Our core values must remain the same and that means were difficult to play against and we dont give the opposition anything easily.Catch up with all the latest Euro 2016 news with Euro Breakfast each morning on Sky Sports News HQ from 6am Also See: Wales v Slovakia preview King up for new role Wenger believes in Wales Bale: Our time has arrived ' ' '