Djokovic led 5-2 in the first set, but Wawrinka rallied to forge a tiebreaker that Djokovic won easily.
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A year after Stan Wawrinka stunned Novak Djokovic for the French Open title, the “Stanimal” did it again, showing why he should be in the conversation along with the “Big Four” of tennis by overpowering the world number one to clinch his maiden US Open title.
I expect this match to be extremely close as these two players are very evenly matched (when Wawrinka plays at his best.) Novak Djokovic is going to employ his very steady yet aggressive style of play.
“My goal is to give everything I have to be the best I can”. Both players were good on their serve’s and set went to the tie-break.
He required treatment for a blister on his big toe in the final set, prompting complaints to the umpire and tournament referee from Wawrinka as the interruption came before his service game. It was necessary cushion for the inevitable pushback from Djokovic, who won the next three games and finished the match 24-for-31 on net points.
Ultimately, this is just another chapter in the underrated rivalry between Djokovic and Wawrinka. “This has been absolutely deserved”.
“He was more courageous, because he stepped in and played aggressive”, Djokovic said, “where I was kind of more waiting for things to happen”.
Before this matchup, Djokovic praised Wawrinka as “a big-match player”, and, boy, is he ever. But when it comes to toppling Novak Djokovic lately at grand slams – the leading member, on current form, of the illustrious quartet that also includes Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray – Wawrinka has no equal. Yet after the medical timeout at 3-1, he held break points.
Djokovic even apologised to Wawrinka but the tension was palpable when play resumed, as a sprightly Djokovic earned three break points but failed to capitalise.
As Wawrinka placed one stinging shot after another right on a line, Djokovic looked up at coach Boris Becker and the rest of his entourage while gesticulating with his hands and muttering.
Djokovic said Wawrinka was a deserving champion. Djokovic was broken from 40-15, donating a pair of double faults in the game. He saved the match point in the third round against the largely unknown Dan Evans of Britain.
“This is unbelievable”, he added. “He was tougher mentally”, said Djokovic, offering two of the highest compliments a tennis player can receive from the talented Serb.
“To have this result here has been awesome”, Mattek-Sands told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd during the trophy ceremony, her eyes welling with tears and her voice choking on her words. To the side of the court on Arthur Ashe stadium in NY, “9/11/01” was inscribed 15 years after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the city. It is obvious that Serb has problems and this medical time out might help him. “We were both injured throughout the year, but we stick together”.
“It was a fantastic couple of weeks for me”.
“I really didn’t know whether or not I’m going to come, to be honest”, he said.
“I haven’t played Stan in some time now”.
Djokovic entered the match an astounding 51-0 in his career after winning the first set at the Open – an unbeaten streak that crashed. That leaves Wimbledon as the lone Grand Slam unconquered by Wawrinka. With his powerful presence and strong mind, he has proved unbeatable in any final since June 2013.
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Never was that more apparent than when Djokovic was returning serve.
