They swapped games until Wawrinka broke Djokovic once again to take the third set in an hour and 16 minutes to take control of a high-drama affair befitting of a major final.
Advertisement
The Swiss star won in four sets in Flushing Meadows are conceding the first set to Djokovic.
“He loves to play in the big matches”.
Wawrinka said things weren’t so hard in 2014, when he won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, downing Djokovic en route to a meeting with then-number one Rafael Nadal in the final.
The 31-year-old Swiss is now a flawless 3-0 in Grand Slam finals, having beaten Djokovic en route to all three.
“This is incredible. I came here without the goal of winning it but just to step on the court trying to win. Match after match I was playing better”.
“My goal is to give everything I have to be the best I can”, said Wawrinka, who saved a match point in the third round against Britain’s Dan Evans.
Wawrinka’s win posed the question of whether the big four of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray was now a big five, The Los Angeles Times said.
The two mega-stars within the sport of tennis did battle against one another for nearly four hours, before Wawrinka was finally able to see out the match, beating Djokovic by a scoreline of 6-7 6-4 7-5 6-3. The Serb advanced to the second round with a walkover and won both his third round and the quarterfinal when his opponents were forced to retire with injuries.
“This is wonderful. I came here without expecting”.
After a shaky start to the match, Wawrinka started to find his form late in the first set, and that continued in the second.
Djokovic pegged back an early break but Wawrinka continued to exert pressure, setting up two set points with a forehand victor and celebrating as the Serb went wide, smashing his racquet in frustration.
Stan Wawrinka is the first to acknowledge he hasn’t always been the most consistent player – or the strongest mentally.
Djokovic started limping later and received more toe treatment at the switch before he served down 5-2 in the fourth.
The third set was a pulsating battle with both players exchanging breaks early on.
In the fourth set, Djokovic began to experience cramps and was having trouble moving on the court. But of course coming into the Grand Slam final you’re giving it your best.
And in the wake of his success, the No 3 seed revealed he had suffered his worst-ever nerves moments before he was due on court. He kept his cool.
“The Big Four, I’m really far from them”, he said. Just awful from my side.
“I’m 31 years old”, the Swiss said when asked why he was not looking towards retirement. I’m proud of myself by winning three Grand Slams. “I’m not that young anymore”, he said.
“There is no secret”.
“You are a great champion and great person and it is because of you that I am who I am today”.
Advertisement
Now boasting as many Grand Slam titles as world No. 2 Murray, Wawrinka is not planning to slow down, and he seemed a bit affronted that anyone might think he should.
