Despite losing the opening set, the 31-year-old Swiss continued to play aggressively as he defeated Djokovic 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in a gruelling contest that lasted nearly four hours at Flushing Meadows, New York. “I was shaking in the locker”, Wawrinka said.
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Wawrinka, the oldest US Open champion since 35-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1970, won his first Grand Slam at the age of 28 in Australia.
“When we start talking five minutes before the match, last few things with Magnus, I start to cry”, he said.
Since 2005, when Rafa Nadal won his first French Open crown, the Spaniard, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have formed their own elite club, sweeping all but five of the grand slam titles.
The 31-year-old Swiss is now a ideal 3-0 in Grand Slam finals, having beaten Djokovic en route to all three.
Stan Wawrinka, of Switzerland, reacts after beating Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, to win the men’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. “Because I think this Grand Slam was the most painful, physically and mentally that I ever played”.
After battling an arm injury during his first-round win over Czech player Jerzy Janowicz, Djokovic was the beneficiary of a walkover in round two before playing just six games in the third round before Mikhail Youhnzny pulled the pin.
It was a close first set, which went to the tie-breaker, but Djokovic took the early initiative, winning the tie-breaker by seven points to one. All of the rest of his matches in the tournament lasted four sets.
Novak Djokovic was unwilling to make excuses as he lamented missed opportunities in his US Open final loss to Stan Wawrinka. “I came here without expecting, without having the goal to win the match”, he said. “Stan won three grand slams now and three different ones, [an] Olympic medal, been around for so many years, and he plays best in the big matches”. We might not have given Wawrinka enough credit (before this, at least) but even with the two Slams in his back pocket, this was an improbable victory.
Fifth-ranked Nadal said the 31-year-old from Switzerland was capable of matching any of the top players on the world circuit after taking the title on Sunday in NY.
This was Kerber’s second Grand Slam triumph after the Australian Open this year. I was only focused on the match, not what can happen if I win the match. Wawrinka complained about the 6-minute break, and Djokovic looked over and apologized.
Wawrinka, however, had found his groove and after breaking once with a trademark backhand, cannoned down the line, he did so again at 5-4 to snatch the second and level up. I was suffering on the court but I’m happy and proud of what I have achieved. And I was just unlucky in some moments. “It’s big. But I’m way too far to be No. 1”.
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He took ice on his legs at the changeover and then could hardly serve, producing two double faults in the next game, yet saving break point to hold.
