In today’s bout, Wawrinka defeated Djokovic 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. I guess sometimes it happens, even though you have the experience and know what to do.
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The Swiss Wawrinka’s statement on court followed that of American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who won the women’s doubles title with Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, and appeared to choke up during her victory speech, telling the crowd: “It’s a special day today here for everybody in NY”.
World number one Novak Djokovic has revealed that his nerves failed him at the most important moments during his shocking 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 defeat to Stan Wawrinka in the 2016 US Open final.
Wawrinka showed no mercy, breaking for 2-0 and holding for three, as a hobbling Djokovic walked his way through the game and barely put up a fight.
The Swiss sensation’s victory saw him win his first grand slam title since he beat Djokovic in the final at Roland Garros previous year.
The dramatic summit clash also threatened to erupt into controversy after Djokovic twice called medical timeouts in the fourth set.
But when he went to the trainer he removed both shoes and socks and got treatment on what appeared to be blisters on his toes.
Wawrinka asked the chair umpire what was going on when the first injury timeout came right before his serve, which was not on a changeover. Wawrinka has now won his last 11 finals in a row. A late bloomer who won his first major at 28, Wawrinka is widely recognised as having the best backhand in the world.
Stan Wawrinka, of Switzerland, holds up the championship trophy after beating Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, to win the men’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in NY.
But as soon as he scented an opportunity at two sets to one over the Serbian, Wawrinka switched to finishing points early. This was a match of attrition, though, as Wawrinka offered wrinkles. He is, after all, 3-0 in major finals, and has won 11 consecutive finals overall.
For Djokovic though, the loss will be a bitter pill to swallow as he would have been looking to secure his third grand slam title of the year after triumphs at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. He and fellow Canadian Benjamin Sigouin lost in the U.S. Open junior doubles final Saturday.
When Djokovic’s final backhand flew long, Wawrinka closed his eyes and looked up to the sky before holding his arms aloft in celebration.
Djokovic dominated the tiebreaker 7-1 after some shaky moments earlier in the set. But he clawed his way back to a tie-break.
A moment of silence was observed at the U.S. Open to mark the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.
“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.
A huge American flag was unfurled over the court, presented by a Brooklyn-based U.S. Marine Corp battalion. But this wasn’t Djokovic’s night in NY.
As Wawrinka placed one stinging shot after another right on a line, Djokovic looked up at coach Boris Becker while gesticulating with his hands and muttering.
The top-ranked Djokovic is seeking his 13th major title.
By the end of the third, an epic 76-minute battle that left Djokovic grimacing in the later games, Wawrinka was looking like the steadier player.
In this way, Wawrinka is the flawless foil for Djokovic; he beats the felt off the ball with shocking regularity. He converted just 3-of-17, while Wawrinka capitalized on 6-of-10.
In the Open’s American Collegiate Invitational tournament that ended Saturday, Thai-Son Kwiatkowski and Danielle Collins, both of Virginia, won the singles titles.
Mattek-Sands is the first American to win women’s doubles at Flushing Meadows since 2011, when Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond did it.
No U.S. player had even reached the final since then, until Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic took the title Sunday.
Known as the greatest defender to grace the game’s courts, Djokovic failed to hold onto his Open trophy Sunday.
“Stan won three grand slams now and three different ones; (an) Olympic medal”.
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Mattek-Sands and Safarova, who were seeded 12th, added this championship to those from the Australian Open and French Open in 2015. “I had plenty of them, break points”. They broke for the first time in the match when Garcia served for the victory at 5-4 in the second set.
