Anderson ready for his moment at the US Open

He’s been one of the most tireless players on the ATP tour, and now 31-year-old Kevin Anderson has the greatest opportunity of his life. He gets to play world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the final of the US Open on Sunday.

Anderson is often typecast as a big server because of his 6’8” frame, but he’s also been a smart tennis player with his ever-improving groundstrokes and tactical intelligence. Two years ago, he briefly touched the No. 10 ranking, before slipping into a more quiet role as a journeyman.

Now, he persevered through the wild bottom of the men’s bracket and soared past the fourth round of a major for the first time in his career.

With the final appearance, the South African has moved his ranking from No. 32 back up to No. 15, and has garnered praise for his home country, including from golfing great Ernie Els.

Being a Grand Slam finalist is great and all, but Anderson has his sights set on the ultimate prize.

Watch for his wife Kelsey, who tends to get nervous during all of his matches. She runs much of his business arrangements and is a huge support system from the sidelines (along with their pooch).

Now all he has to do is play the match of his life against the heavily favored Nadal. He has lost their previous four matches, but his coach Neville Godwin hopes he can relax and play his best

"He's completely free.” Godwin said. “He's completely surpassed any expectations he may have had. So he's got to release himself and just go and play."