When it comes to grand slam finals, Stan Wawrinka is used to playing spoiler.
After upsetting Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open last year, he engineered another major surprise Sunday by topping world No. 1 Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 in the French Open final to claim his second major title.
Wawrinka isn’t a member of the “Big Four,” but his achievement at Roland Garros means the Swiss now has the same number of grand slam trophies as Andy Murray.
While the Scot owns a 2-6 record in major finals, Wawrinka is a perfect 2-0.
“I still have a problem to really realize that I won the French Open,” Wawrinka told reporters. “It’s always the same after winning a big title. You are a little bit lost in your mind.”
Djokovic sunk to 8-8 and out went his 28-match winning streak overall.
“Of course it hurts, especially because it was in the final,” Djokovic told reporters. “I think I’ve played a great clay-court season, a great Roland Garros, came to the position to really win this trophy.”
He must be wondering if he’ll ever win the grand slam he so desperately craves and complete his collection. In the last two years, Djokovic hasn’t made it a secret that triumphing on the red clay in Paris was his main objective.
“I know he’s looking badly and desperately for this title,” said the eighth-seeded Wawrinka.
But with each passing year and no title, he moves closer to the likes of Pete Sampras and Boris Becker — one of his coaches — in never winning the French Open while bagging the three other majors.
This year could especially be a blow to Djokovic, since he toppled nine-time champion Nadal for the first time in seven tries at the French Open and followed it up by ending Murray’s 15-match winning streak on clay.
