Stanislas Wawrinka exults after beating Djokovic© AFP
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
Topics mentioned in this article
Novak Djokovic
Stanislas Wawrinka
Tennis