By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, April 24, 2025
Photograph credit score: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Fb
Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic has overwhelmed iconic champions on the sport’s biggest levels.
The Serbian famous person cites a Grand Slam champion who has upstaged stars as arguably probably the most underrated participant of his technology: Stan Wawinka.
Talking to the media at his Mutua Madrid Open presser as we speak, Djokovic was requested to mirror on the tenth anniversary of Wawrinka’s well-known four-set upset of the world No. 1 within the 2015 Roland Garros ultimate.
Djokovic praised his someday follow associate as “an unimaginable participant” who’s “very underestimated within the discussions.”
“[Stan is] an unimaginable participant, somebody I actually admire as an individual as nicely. I feel he is very underestimated within the discussions,” Djokovic advised the media in Madrid as we speak. “He is received [doubles] gold medal Olympics, he is received three Grand Slams, and, yeah, simply a tremendous profession.
“He is 40 years outdated, with God is aware of what number of surgical procedures on the knees and every thing, and he is nonetheless pushing, nonetheless coming in, nonetheless coming in early within the event. Displaying up, one of many first folks that exhibits up within the membership, and practices early, and does every thing that he must do, much more. In order that’s tremendous spectacular.”
Whereas tennis followers—and lots of fellow gamers—cite Stan the Man’s sensible one-handed backhand as his biggest weapon. Djokovic says the sturdy Swiss’ resilience in getting back from a number of surgical procedures—and his pure ardour for play—are two of his biggest qualities.
“I actually admire him and Andy [Murray] as nicely for that, you already know, going to the Challenger stage, attempting to construct your rankings, attempting to get matches,” Djokovic stated. “You realize, I by no means, I imply, I’ve by no means carried out that, by no means was in that place that I’ve to, hopefully need not, construct rankings once more again to go to Challenger stage.
“However I actually admire that. That claims quite a bit about champion spirit and mentality that these guys have.”
Wanting again on that 2015 French Open ultimate, Djokovic stated initially he was happy he didn’t should face King of Clay Rafa Nadal within the ultimate—till Wawrinka started blasting winners all around the court docket.
Exuding calm defiance and harmful energy, Wawrinka rode a wave of shotmaking brilliance beautiful the highest seed 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to gather his first Roland Garros championship and deny Djokovic the profession Grand Slam again in 2015.
Looking back, Djokovic joked Wawrinka “stole” that Roland Garros ultimate whereas sporting the funkiest shorts in main Open Period ultimate historical past—a reality the Serbian says they nonetheless discuss to this present day.
“That was, you already know, one of many hardest losses for me as a result of by that point I nonetheless have not received Roland Garros, and that was, I do not know which ultimate for me already,” Djokovic stated as we speak. “And I assumed, I am not taking part in Rafa for a change within the finals, and I, you already know, I preferred my probabilities to win my first French Open title.
“However then Stan stole it from me, and he performed some unimaginable tennis. We nonetheless joke round telling that the explanation why he performed so nicely is due to the shorts. I do not know what number of of you keep in mind that well-known shorts that he was sporting, and he got here up with the post-finals press convention with that shorts and I actually hated him since then (smiling). However, no, we’re good buddies, in fact I joke.”
Total, Djokovic has had the final snigger within the rivalry, successful 21 of their 26 conferences, nonetheless a yr after that Roland Garros stunner Wawrinka shocked Djokovic once more in a four-set 2016 US Open ultimate. That triumph earned Wawrinka his “Stan the Man” moniker from New York Metropolis newspapers.
In a physically-demanding duel, Wawrinka dethroned Djokovic, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3, to seize his first US Open championship in a riveting three hours, 55 minutes.
“There isn’t any secret. If you wish to beat the No. 1 participant on this planet, it’s a must to give every thing,” Wawrinka, who collected the champion’s verify of $3.5 million, stated afterward. “As I stated the opposite day, it’s a must to settle for to undergo and you’ve got virtually to get pleasure from to undergo. As a result of I feel this Grand Slam was probably the most painful, bodily and mentally, Grand Slam that I ever performed.”
Earlier than a vocal crowd of 25,051 followers, the 31-year-old Swiss grew to become the oldest US Open champion since a 35-year-old Ken Rosewall captured the 1970 US Open championship.
Wawrinka stated he was so nervous earlier than that US Open ultimate he was shaking and crying within the locker room minutes earlier than strolling out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“At the moment, earlier than the ultimate, I used to be actually nervous like by no means earlier than. I used to be shaking within the locker,” Wawrinka stated. “After we begin 5 minutes earlier than the match speaking, previous couple of issues with (coach) Magnus (Norman), I begin to cry. I used to be utterly shaking. However the one factor I used to be satisfied with myself that my recreation was there.
“Bodily I used to be there. My recreation was there. Put the combat on the court docket and you’ll have an opportunity to win. And that is what occur after few video games once I begin to consider in myself, begin to be within the match. I used to be solely concentrate on the match, not what can occur if I win the match.
“Is it the ultimate of the U.S.? No, I am simply targeted what I am doing within the court docket.”
Requested how he was capable of compose himself and play such a robust match after a tearful breakdown, Wawrinka provided a easy reply.
“I needed to put my shit collectively,” a smiling Wawrinka replied, evoking laughter from the media in his post-match press convention. “Sorry. That is how I say it.”
