French Open Men's Final, Highlights: Stan the Man Cans Djokovic to Lift Maiden Title
Stanislas Wawrinka stunned the World Number One Novak Djokovic to win his maiden French Open title. The Swiss beat the Serbian 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Catch all the highlights of the game here.
STAN WAWRINKA is the 2015 French Open winner, beats Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
What a comeback from the Swiss after losing the first set. He becomes the second man from Switzerland after Roger Federer to win the French Open and the first man since Mats Wilander to lift the title as both boys (2003) and in the men's category!
No career slam for Novak Djokovic this year. What a heart-break for the Serbian who's played like a champion throughout the tournament but back-to-back games against the big boys Nadal and Murray took the wind out of the sails of the World Number One.
Catch all the highlights of the game here.
(All times in IST)
21:47: 4-5 - Stan Wawrinka take a bow! Single-handed backhand at its best. Incredible power with incredible angles from the Swiss leaves Djokovic stretching. He stretches but Wawrinka just too good! Serving for the match!
21:42: 4-4 - Djokovic saved two break points, Stan saves three! This match is going into 'epic' levels. Stan Wawrinka is not giving in, for sure. Wins five points to win the game.
21:35: 4-3 How do you describe that game from Djokovic? Insane. Wawrinka dances away to two break-points. Pummels Djokovic to take a 15-40 lead and then Djokovic special arrives. He stretches himself to the last bit to save the break, pumps his fists, unleashes a monster winner and exults to celebrate! Number one for nothing, eh! Boris Becker should be impressed with that piece of tennis.
#Djokovic is pumped. He's not going down without a fight. #RG15 https://t.co/Z5oobKmqlJ
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
21:31: 3-3 - Three straight games for Wawrinka. The Swiss is fighting fire with fire. Rushes Djokovic and runs to a 40-0 lead and then Djokovic nets a forehand to hand him the fastest game of the match.
#StantheMan An incredible rally from both finalists, but it's #Wawrinka who outlasts #Djokovic for the break. #RG15 https://t.co/aDe3YzD5QU
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
21:24: 3-2 - BREAK! Phew! That rally. The last game seems to have brought Wawrinka back to life. At 15-15, he swishes an electric backhand down the line and then Djokovic forces a forehand wide. Then came the breathtaking rally with backhands galore. Djokovic's slices were met with strong replies and Wawrinka finally makes Djokovic net a forehand to claim the break.
21:21: 3-1 - How big a point that was for Wawrinka? Runs away to 30-0 and then Djokovic sends a volley into the net to hand him the game. On the board Wawrinka but Djokovic looks dangerous.
21:17: 3-0: Djokovic is romping ahead in this set. Wawrinka is rattled a bit and shouts out in frustration after netting a backhand. Djokovic scraping but fighting on - hits the net cord with a completely wayward forehand, gets away with it and then bring the game home with a magical top-spinning forehand down the line.
21:13: 2-0 - BREAK! You can't keep this man down for long, can you? Wawrinka helps the cause by netting a volley and then hands him the break by netting a backhand. Is this the beginning of the comeback for the world number one?
21:09: Fourth Set: 1-0 Djokovic holds. The stats are going against the Serb now - missing his first serve, yet to hit an ace and a very low percentage of forehand winners. Wawrinka gaining momentum with every game and now looks like the favourite.
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Shot of the year? @stanwawrinka #RG15 https://t.co/wKYUMuSIfZ
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
21:03: WAWRINKA WINS 3rd SET 6-3 - Phew! Some comeback from the Swiss here. Djokovic is all over the place and the Swiss is taking full advantage of it.
Smooth Stan #Wawrinka holds at love to claim the 3rd set 6-3 in 42 minutes. He leads the World No.1 two sets to one. pic.twitter.com/O5ADg2tBje
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
20:53: Crowd gets right behind Wawrinka as he opens up a two-point lead over Djokovic. He is now up 4-2 in the 3rd but taking it easy against the top seed would be a mistake many a fallen heroes have made in the past.
20:49: Wawrinka making excellent use of his mammoth forehands and manages to take the lead in the 3rd once again.
HOT SHOT! #Wawrinka fires off an incredible forehand down the line winner en route to breaking #Djokovic. #RG15 https://t.co/X28TUNCjCZ
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
20:43: The tough battle wages on as the third set is now at 2-2.
20:37: 2-1: Easy hold for Wawrinka. Holds the game at 15. Djokovic's intensity has definitely dropped but can Wawrinka cash in on it?
20:32: 1-1 - Djokovic's first serve has left him yet, saves three break points and snatches the game away. A flurry of drop volleys and then finally finds his forehand to bail him out. Wawrinka misses another opportunity to nail down the game.
20:26: Third Set: 1-0 - Wawrinka has bounced back and how! Djokovic looks a touch wobbly. The heat and big games taking their toll. Wawrinka surely with the upper hand, comes back into the game from 15-30 with a booming serve and a couple of winners.
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WATCH: How #Wawrinka broke #'Djokovic to win the 2nd set. Follow Live Blog for more: http://t.co/tek75A7MgF #RG15 https://t.co/TkuDstXIXz
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
20:21: WAWRINKA WINS SECOND SET 6-4 - Fantastic comeback from the Swiss. Djokovic runs away to 30-0 before Wawrinka's back-hand takes over, makes it 30-15 and then another scorching back-hand makes it 30-30. Djokovic pulls a forehand wide to hand him the set point and then fluffs a backhand to help the Swiss make it all square in the match! Smashes the racket in anguish, the Serb! Game on, it's 1-1!
20:14: 4-5 - This is definitely headed for a tie-break. Wawrinka is throwing the kitchen sink at the Serb. Misses the first point but gets back after winning three straight points and then holds on with a thunderous forehand winner.
20:10: 4-4 - Djokovic holds. Wawrinka whacks the net in frustration. The Serb is killing him with his drop shots. Djokovic had dropped a level as well. His first serve has dropped from 78% to 60%. But Wawrinka isn't capitalising on the break-points. His back-hand has been awry and have gone long at crucial moments.
20:00: 3-4 - Wawrinka holds after almost he lost it. Rushes to 40-0 and then a couple of rash shots lets Djokovic draw level. Wawrinka isn't winning the big moments but somehow holds on to the game after Djokovic nets one. Didn't see it - he says. "Allez", shouts Wawrinka.
Fist pump from #Djokovic as he takes it to #Wawrinka with this rally. Who will blink first in the second set? #RG15 https://t.co/89dSbQYYSi
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
19:55: 3-3 - Get your head in - Djokovic taps his forehead after missing a forehand and a backhand to hand Wawrinka the break point. He gets his head in and smashes a cross-court diagonal and a forehand and then forces the Swiss to miss an east smash at the net.
19:49: 2-3 - Superb play from Wawrinka. Holds the game at 15. He needed a big game to forget the floundering of the break point of the last game. Heat taking a tole on Djokovic - remember he played a massive five-setter against Murray over two-days.
#Wawrinka lets out a yell as he holds for 4-3 in the 2nd. Who will get the first break? #RG15 pic.twitter.com/ggvAE7yG3r
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
19:46: 2-2 - Djokovic holds after saving two break-points. This is a monster effort from the Serb, squeezing out every ounce of his energy and pouring into his shots. Tries to lob Wawrinka and gets it smashed back to find himself on break point. Opens his body up, hits the forehands to keep the ball on Wawrinka's favourite back-hand until the Swiss puts it long.
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19:38: 1-2: Wawrinka holds a love game. That didn't happen for a long time. Djokovic seemed a little upset with the surface.
19:36: 1-1: The forehand isn't on Wawrinka's side at all. Way too many mistakes by the Swiss. Djokovic serving well with landing 78% of his first serves. Runs to 30-0 and then a srop shot leaves Wawrinka nowhere before he hits a fore-hand into the crowd.
19:33: Second Set 0-1: Wawrinka holds. "Come on" - shouts Djokovic after fluffing a back-hand. Wawrinka doesn't look too confident either, two weak forehands handed Djokovic the advantage but a booming ACE and a couple of strong shots down the courts helps him survive.
19:24: NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS FIRST SET 6-4 : Stunning game that was. Wawrinka in no mood to give up against a rampant Djokovic. The Serb gets quite a few things wrong in the game - tried to lob but it went out, played the drop shot, Wawrinka returned and then the Swiss' backhand caught him unaware at the net, then nets an easy backhand to hand Wawrinka the break point. Suddenly, shakes off his slumber, serves deep, saves the break and just toys with the Swiss to get the first set!
19:18: 4-5: Wawrinka comes back and holds. After a frustrating game, the Swiss unleashes a couple of monster cross-courts to send the Serb sliding. A bit of a fightback but Djokovic will serve for the set now.
The hustle pays off for @stanwawrinka in this point vs. #Djokovic. What a get! #RG15 https://t.co/MQ9XIGHRan
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
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19:15: 3-5: Djokovic in beast mode now. Wawrinka's returns letting him down. Djokovic serving well and making the Swiss run. Wawrinka's trusted back-hand isn't hurrying the Serb at all. He's picking his spots and making the play happen.
19:09: 3-4: BREAK! Djokovic into his groove now and Wawrinka's returns going awry - twice misses his backhand down the line. Then he double faults to give the game up in a platter. Shoddy show after an impressive start.
19:07: 3-3: Classic Djokovic now, gave no chance to the Swiss in that game. Serves big and Stan had a problem returning them.
Fans came ready to watch & #Djokovic/#Wawrinka came ready to battle; the two play a 39-shot rally in 1st game. #RG15 https://t.co/yEOdoWTDVK
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
19:00: 3-2: Wawrinka saves break point and holds. Djokovic was 0-30 down and then fights back to get to a break-point, looked in control until he floundered the break point. Both players playing to their strength - their backhands. Djokovic's forehand definitely rusty. Wawrinka serving deep, sending Djokovic stretching for the returns.
18:57: 2-2: Djokovic with body serves, right into Wawrinka, not allowing his to unleash his powerful return. Seems to be a plan from the serve. Was a little lucky with the ace though, the umpire called it wrong.
18:53: 2-1: That was easy - Wawrinka unleashes his booming serve to hold the game to love. Impressive start from the Swiss, swooshing his single-handed back-hand at will already!
How well does @DjokerNole remember his results at Roland Garros? Watch him play "The Score Is Right"! #RG15 https://t.co/TjRhtKwDv3
- Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2015
18:50: 1-1: Djokovic holds on a 15 game - looks a little rusty the Serbian, the forehand not quite coming through but makes the game count with some good serving. The big semi-final against Murray taking it's toll?
18:45: First Set: 1-0: Unbelievable start to the game. The battle of the back-hands have begun - 39 shots in the rally in the very first game. Wawrinka standing way behind the baseline to dictate play and Djokovic didn't look too comfortable at all. The Swiss generated immense power and Djokovic visibly stretched. Wawrinka serving big and Djokovic finally wields in the 39th shot of the rally.
18:40: The time is here - The final of the French Open. Stan's the man to serve!
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Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal - World Number One Novak Djokovic is all set to mount a challenge to join that league of extraordinary gentlemen at the Roland Garros - men who have won a career Grand Slam. (Djokovic on Brink of Grand Slam History)
Not only that, a win over the eighth seed Stanislas Wawrinka put the 2015 Australian Open winner Djokovic on his way to achieving a calendar Grand Slam - a feat that's only been achieved by Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962, 1969).
Dismantling the big Serbian right now is the biggest challenge for any tennis player in the circuit. He's won his last 28 matches and is unbeaten for 16 games on clay this season. He's getting better with every match and as Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray found out, is hungry to take his Grand Slam tally past Agassi's eight. (Djokovic Beats Murray, Sets Up Title Clash vs Wawrinka)
Against the Swiss, he's got a head-to-head record of 17-3.
However, if anyone can jolt the incredible run of the Serbian, it's Wawrinka. Although, he's had a lopsided record against the World's number one, the Swiss is one of the few players who can rattle Djokovic from the baseline. Apart from a good first serve, Wawrinka can generate immense power from incredible angles - something that has made Djokovic uncomfortable in the past. (Wawrinka Overcomes Local Hero Tsonga)
During their last four encounters at Grand Slams, Wawrinka has pushed Djokovic to the full five sets and although the 28-year-old Serb have come up put it past the line in three of them, two of those victories weren't very convincing.
Wawrinka, bidding for his second Grand Slam, is also staring at his piece of history - become the first former Roland Garros boys' champion (2003) to win the title since Mats Wilander in 1988.
A five setter on the cards? In all probabilities but the Philippe-Chatrier Court in Stade Roland Garros will definitely witness history in the making.