Richard Pagliaro | @tennis_now | Thursday, April 24, 2025
Image source: Rolex Monte Carlo Masters Facebook
Grand Slam Gold Novak Djokovic Beat the iconic champion in the greatest stage of the game.
The Serbian superstar quoted a Grand Slam champion whose star is arguably the most underrated player of his generation: Stan Wawrinka.
Djokovic, who spoke to the media at his Mutua Madrid Open, was asked to reflect on Wawrinka’s famous four-set frustrated world No. 1 in the 2015 Roland Garros final.
Djokovic praised one of his practice partners as an “incredible player” and “underrated in the discussion.”
“[Stan is] An incredible player, I admire one person too. I think he was underestimated in the discussion,” Djokovic said in Madrid today. [doubles] At the Gold Olympics, he won three Grand Slams, and yes, it was just an amazing career.
“He is 40 years old and has God knows the knee and everything about surgery, he is still pushing, still coming in, still early in the game.
While tennis fans (and many companions) see Stan as his greatest weapon. Djokovic said the tough Swiss’s resilience back in multiple surgeries and his pure enthusiasm for the game – two of his greatest qualities.
“I really admire him and Andy [Murray] Again, you know, to get into the challenger level, try to build your rankings, try to get the game. “You know, I never did, I mean, I never did, I never did, I never did, I never had that position I had to hold, hope not, hope to build rankings again to regain the challenger level.
“But I really admire it. This has a lot to say about these guys’ championship spirit and mentality.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2mhlx9wk9m
Looking back at the 2015 French Open final, Djokovic said initially he was glad he didn’t have to face King Clay Rafa Nadal in the final until Wawrinka started exploding the championship throughout the field.
Wawrinka exuded a calm revolt and destructive force, wielding a wave of shooting, stunning with 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to collect his first Roland Garros title and rejected Djokovic’s Djokovic in 2015.
In retrospect, Djokovic joked that Wawrinka “stole” Roland Garros’ final, wearing the most stylish shorts in the final history of the major open era – in fact, the Serbs say they are still talking about the day to this day.
“It was one of the toughest losses for me because at that time I still haven’t won Roland Garros, that’s, I don’t know which final it was for me,” Djokovic said today. “And I’m not playing Rafale to change the final, and I know I like the chance to win my first French Open Championship.
“But then Stan stole it from me and he played some incredible tennis. We still joked that he was great because of the shorts because of the shorts. How many of you remember the famous shorts he was wearing, and he thought of the final press conference after that shorts, I really hated him, and then I really hated him (laughing, we, we were fine, we were joked, I laughed.
Overall, Djokovic won the final laugh in the competition, winning 21 of 26 meetings, but once again shocked Djokovic in four games of the 2016 U.S. Open a year after Roland Garros Stunner Wawrinka. That victory gave Wawrinka his “Stan the Man” nickname from the New York City newspaper.
In a physical duel, Wawrinka, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3, won his first U.S. Open title, and in three hours, 55 minutes.
“There’s no secret. If you want to beat the world’s number one player, you have to give everything,” Wawrinka, who then collected the championship check, said later. “As I said the other day, you have to accept the suffering and you can almost enjoy it. Because I think this Grand Slam is the most painful, physical and mentally painful Grand Slam I’ve ever played.”
The 31-year-old Swiss became the oldest champion of the U.S. Open before the crowd of 25,051 fans, since Ken Rosewall, 35, won the 1970 U.S. Open.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7lhlhay5tm
Wawrinka said he was very nervous before the U.S. Open final, shaking and crying in the locker room before walking to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“Today, before the final, I was really nervous. “When we started five minutes before the game, there were a few things going on with (coach) Magnus (Norman) and I started crying. I was trembling completely. But the only thing I believe in is that my game is there.
“Physically I’m there. My game is there. Put the fight on the court and you’ll have a chance to win. That’s what happened after a few games of my life and start playing. I’m just focused on the game, not what would happen if I won the game.
“Is this the final in the United States? No, I’m just focused on what I do on the court.”
When asked how he was able to form himself and play such a strong match after a tearful collapse, Wawrinka offers a simple answer.
“I had to put my shit together,” replied the smiling Wawrinka, which caused laughter from the media at the post-match press conference. “Sorry. That’s what I said.”
