After the match win, it was nearly too much, I was really exhausted. “My goal is to give everything I have and be the best I can be”, he was quoted as saying by Sport24.
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Djokovic, the 2011 and 2015 champion, had been seeking a third Slam of the year and 13th Major of his career. Just put the fight on the court and you will have a chance to win. “You were the more courageous player in the decisive moment and you deserve this title”, said Djokovic.
“We both felt the demanding match that we played today, but he [Wawrinka] came out on top, ” he said.
Wawrinka said his fear was down to not wanting to lose a grand-slam final, as he instead improved to 3-0 in major deciders.
“The Serb star also admitted that he came close to skipping the tournament as a serious wrist injury threatened to compromise his assault on a third major title of the year”. Even though he lost the tie-break, the seeds of the comeback had been sown.
Wawrinka said Monday he stepped on court the evening earlier knowing he could beat Djokovic and assured his coach, Magnus Norman, as much. Frustrated, Djokovic demolished his racquet, collecting a code violation from umpire Ali Nili. He ended up winning in five sets. After going down 15-40 on his own serve, Djokovic closed it out for a 6-3 first set.
“It’s too far away to think about Wimbledon”, Wawrinka said.
At 2-5, the trainer reappeared but Wawrinka saw the job through leaving Djokovic to finish a Slam runner-up for the ninth time.
The world No.3, who won in Melbourne in 2014 before the French Open past year, has now come out on top in the last 11 finals he’s featured in.
So long in the shadow of his fellow Swiss and 17-time grand slam victor Roger Federer, Wawrinka made the gesture several times during his 6-7 (1-7), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 victory over defending champion Novak Djokovic.
The big four stay the big four, like that. “I had plenty of them, break points. I think that’s what decided the match”, said Djokovic, who added it was painful to move around the court. “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”.
It’s a statement of sort for the 31-year-old, the oldest US Open champ in more than 40 years.
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. When he gets to a championship match, the Swiss is money in the bank, winning his last 11 finals.
But Wawrinka summons his inner best in the biggest moments.
“Just look at the tournaments they have won, how many years they’ve been there”, said Wawrinka, who has now won his past 11 finals. “Just look at the tournaments they won, how many years they have been there”, said Wawrinka, whose win in NY earned him $3.5m (£2.6m) – the game’s biggest payday.
The Swiss was match-point down here to Britain’s Dan Evans in round three but he now has three grand slam titles to his name after first winning at the Australian Open in 2014.
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Since 2005 when Rafa Nadal won his first French Open title, the Spaniard, Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have accounted for 42 of 46 grand slam titles. I haven’t had one.
