Stan Wawrinka beat the best when it mattered, yet the quietly spoken Swiss with a hint of devil in his eye is reluctant to climb up on the podium alongside the vanquished Novak Djokovic – 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 – and the trio who constitute the Big Four of tennis. “I put everything on the court”, he said. I had not had enough sleep. “But I have them and I’m happy to take the trophy back home”. But it’s a special feeling for sure.
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Should Kyrgios be ruled out, John Millman, who at the Rio Olympics made history by becoming the first tennis player to win a match by the scoreline of 6-0, 6-0, could be in line to make his debut. “It was a insane match”.
But as he did at Roland Garros previous year, Wawrinka would fight back to take the next three sets, including a 76-minute third set which lasted twelve games, to claim his third Major and leave Wimbledon as the only title which he has yet to win. After three-set victories in the first two rounds, he had to suffer through a five-set win over Daniel Evans in the third round.
The thing is, it’s often – particularly early in events – that Wawrinka is pointedly not on.
“But the only thing I was convinced with myself that my game was there”.
“I really didn’t know whether or not I’m going to come, to be honest”, he said. “We still haven’t found the key of how he can be a little bit more consistent”. He was the better player, he was tougher mentally and knew what to do.
“I played quite a lot of tennis these two weeks”.
Against Djokovic, he trails 5-19; with Murray he is 7-9 down, Federer leads their clashes 18-3 while Nadal is 15-3. There has always been a view that some players use medical time-outs as a way of taking a breather or disrupting their opponent’s momentum.
“Before the final I was really nervous like never before”, said Wawrinka, who at 31 is the oldest US Open victor since Ken Rosewall in 1970. He brings out your self-confidence. “I think I’m going to be ready”.
Nili’s decision angered Wawrinka, whose momentum in the match was at stake, but the world number three insists he only wanted clarification of the regulations.
“There is no secret”, Wawrinka said.
“He’s very vulnerable in the beginning of tournaments”, said Norman. I was talking about the mental side because the day of the final it’s more about that than practising your forehand or backhand. When the tournament starts I don’t think about whether I’m ready to win or not.
“I was just surprised with the timing”, said Wawrinka yesterday at a photocall on top of Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center. How many Masters 1000 has Murray?
That exclusive club of Novak Djokovic, Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have won 42 of the last 47 Grand Slams. He stopped the Serb from taking three out of four Slams for the second time in as many years.
He has now won 11 tournament finals in a row.
The Swiss sensation’s victory saw him win his first grand slam title since he beat Djokovic in the final at Roland Garros a year ago.
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Wawrinka admitted that he had never dreamed of such success when he was younger. “Sorry. That’s how I say it”. “Maybe that’s also one of the reasons I played so well again”. “My goal is to give everything I have to be the best I can”, added Warwinka. I love him. He’s a good friend.
