Another collision for top 2

NEW YORK — The stakes are always high, the encounters always memorable.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have built the best rivalry in tennis on a mountain of big-time matches, the likes of which they’ll play Monday in the U.S. Open final.

It will be the 37th meeting of their careers — the most times in the Open era that any two men have played.

“When you are involved in these kinds of matches,” Nadal said, “you feel special.”

Nadal will be going for his 13th major title, Djokovic his seventh. This will be their third meeting in the past four years in the final in Arthur Ashe Stadium, a stretch interrupted last year when Nadal sat out with a knee injury.

“It’s always the biggest challenge that you can have in our sport now,” Djokovic said of playing Nadal. “… He’s playing probably the best tennis that he ever played on hard courts.”

Each player is seeking his second major title of the year. Djokovic won the Australian Open and Nadal won the French.

Nadal leads the overall series 21-15, though Djokovic has an 11-6 edge on hard courts.

Though Djokovic has the most wins (31) on tour this year on the hard courts, Nadal is undefeated on them — 21-0. This is their sixth meeting in a Grand Slam final.