When Stan Wawrinka hit his 60th winner to defeat Novak Djokovic in the French Open final the emotion was clear. Not only had the Swiss won his second Grand Slam title, he had proved to the world that he was no fluke.
The man who had spent over a decade in the shadow of Roger Federer had finally stepped out, even if for only a few moments.
When the 30 year old won his first major title at the Australian Open in 2014, there were doubts about its legitimacy. Normally when one beats Djokovic on his best surface and Rafael Nadal to win a grand slam title, it is labelled as brilliance. But for Wawrinka the win was tainted.
Despite leading the final against Nadal by a set and a break, all the attention was on the Spaniard’s unfortunate back injury that hampered him through most of the match. Wawrinka went on to close the match in four sets for his first grand slam title, but in the end it was a hollow victory.
Many questioned if Wawrinka could have done it if Nadal remained healthy. After all, he had never taken a set off the then world number one prior to this meeting. The Swiss did what he needed to do and undoubtedly deserved his title, but cries of ‘fluke’ and ‘one slam wonder’ were rife.
Despite his enormous success in Melbourne and becoming the Swiss number one, he was not seen as one of the elite players in the world. He was still ‘the other Swiss guy’ as Federer remained the main guy.
Winning the Monte Carlo Masters, defeating Federer in the final, did little to back up his Melbourne success. Neither did winning the Davis Cup with his Swiss compatriot. Even though Wawrinka was the star performer, the focus was on Federer. The 17 time grand slam champion had added yet another trophy to his already enormous legacy and yet again Wawrinka was left in his shadow.
In 2015, Wawrinka had a lot to prove. He was defending two big titles and came into the year with huge pressure on his shoulders, and he did not disappoint.
Despite the massive inconsistencies following his Australian Open victory in 2014, the Lausanne native had his most consistent season to date. He made the last eight of every Grand Slam, reaching the semi-finals in his Australian Open defence, where he lost to Djokovic in another five set thriller.
He won four titles, including two ATP 500’s in Rotterdam and Tokyo as well as his French Open triumph. And it was there where Stan proved to be the man.
His dismissal of Federer in the quarter finals was impressive. Rarely do you see the 17 time grand slam champion void of ideas, but Wawrinka proved too powerful and too good. Not only did the win send him to semi-finals, it proved to be a statement- Wawrinka is one of the elite and no longer in Federer’s shadow.
The year-end number four battled his opponent and a partisan French crowd on two occasions in his victories over Gilles Simon and Jo Wilfried Tsonga. Then he went on to inflict Djokovic with his only Grand Slam loss of 2015, ending the world number one’s chances of completing the career grand slam.
Wawrinka’s remarkable record in finals continued as he hit a staggering 60 winners past one of the game’s great defenders on clay in four sets, let that sink in.
It was a second grand slam title that puts him level with Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter. This time there was not any doubt, and any claims of ‘fluke’ were thrown straight out of the window.
Wawrinka has proved himself as one of the best in the word in 2015. He finished as world number four for the second straight year, and claimed yet another major trophy. Above all else though, he has proved to himself and the world that he is not a one slam wonder. And that might be the greatest victory of all.
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