Wawrinka had demolished Djokovic in the French Open final a year ago and he pulled off a similar display of destruction at Flushing Meadows to win 6-7 (1/7) 6-4 7-5 6-3.
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The Swiss star won in four sets in Flushing Meadows are conceding the first set to Djokovic. The play went for about 4hrs. His newly earned U.S. Open trophy was sitting on the table beside him. He removed both shoes and socks so a trainer could help him out with what appeared to be blisters on toes.
Back then, the odds were stacked against Wawrinka yet, after dropping the first set, he unleashed his huge backhand and beat Djokovic in four sets. This time, blood was visible on Djokovic’s sock.
Djokovic refused to get too downcast with his season despite a shock third round loss at Wimbledon. “In the fourth set I had some pain, but most important was what was clear with Magnus before – not to show anything”.
Coincidentally, Wawrinka beat Djokovic in the quarter-final stage of the 2014 Australian Open in a match that went the distance.
“This is honestly incredible”, Wawrinka said.
Wawrinka may be the ultimate big-game player in men’s tennis.
At one point, Djokovic turned to Wawrinka as he as receiving treatment and said, “Sorry man, couldn’t stand”.
“We played nearly 4 hours”, said Djokovic, “and I think I can speak in the name of Stan, as well: We both felt it”.
In reaching his first US Open final – after semi-final exits in 2013 and 2015 – Wawrinka had saved a match point in a gritty five-set win over unheralded Dan Evans, held off 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro in four sets and rallied for a four-set win over 2014 finalist Kei Nishikori. He also extended his streak of consecutive wins in tournament finals to 11.
“He loves to play in the big matches”, Djokovic said.
World number one Djokovic has 12 majors and 66 career titles, Federer has 17 majors and 69 titles altogether while Nadal owns 14 Grand Slams and 69 singles trophies in all.
At 31, Wawrinka is the oldest male US Open champion since 35-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1970 and only the fifth man in the Open era to win more than one major tournament after turning 30, following Rosewall, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.
Djokovic admitted Wawrinka fully deserved the title after four gruelling hours on the Arthur Ashe court.
On one point, Wawrinka delivered a shot so hard it knocked the racket from Djokovic’s grasp and against a wall behind the baseline.
Rafael Nadal described Tuesday Stan Wawrinka as “super dangerous” after he clinched the US Open championship to claim his third Grand Slam title.
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Djokovic looked like a strong bet to win the 2016 calendar Slam after taking both the Australian Open and the elusive French Open, but the rigors of being the unquestioned top guy may have caught up with him.
