It paid off in style on Sunday with a third Grand Slam title at the US Open when the 31-year-old defeated hot favourite Novak Djokovic of Serbia to win the US Open with a 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 victory in NY.
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“The only plan is trying to push myself the maximum to be the best player I can”, Wawrinka said Sunday night. So winning two out of four Grand Slams is pretty good year, and playing another final. “They have been there since more than 10 years”. That’s why I’m not there. “One last thing, today has been a big battle on the court but there is a bigger thing so I just want to remember what happened 15 years ago”.
Late bloomer Wawrinka did not win multiple tournaments in a single season until 2014 and has just one Masters series crown.
Wawrinka trailed Djokovic 19-4 in their career meetings, but the hard-working Swiss saves his best for the big stage and he came through with a superlative performance that extended his remarkable streak to 11 straight wins in tournament finals. “He was tougher mentally”, said Djokovic, offering two of the highest compliments a tennis player can receive from the talented Serb ranked No. 1.
Maintaining his clean record in Grand Slam finals, Stanislas Wawrinka pulled off his maiden US Open title after surprising World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the Sunday’s title-clash.
Wawrinka’s 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 7-5 6-3 victory made him the oldest male Grand Slam champion since Andre Agassi claimed the Australian Open in 2003 aged 32. “I think I can play my best tennis on grass also, but so far I didn’t pass the quarter-finals”.
“I really didn’t know whether or not I’m going to come, to be honest”, Djokovic said, saying he made the decision to play in NY just days before the tournament.
However, Wawrinka, who has now won 11 finals on the bounce, regrouped having lost the first set in a one-sided tie-breaker to hit 46 winners on his way to a third grand slam title.
The 31-year-old Wawrinka is the oldest US Open men’s champion since Ken Rosewall won in 1970 at 35 years of age. And I was just unlucky in some moments.
The third seed came from behind to down the world number one Serbian in four sets, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
“So what? Are you saying next year I focus only on Wimbledon?”
“I was feeling the cramp coming in the third set”.
“It’s not the first time, it’s not the last time I’m going to lose a match”.
” Stan, sorry I can’t stand ” Djokovic apologized across during the break time.
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Del Potro was then on the upswing in the earlier part of his career, and would go on to win a Grand Slam only three years later; now, the Argentine, who is 29, has enjoyed nothing short of a stellar comeback after several injuries and surgeries sidelined his career for a significant time.
