After the shock of seeing Rafa Nadal dismantled in straight sets in the quarter finals, those watching the French Open men's final on Sunday witnessed another stunning upset.
Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka beat World Number One Novak Djokovic (the man who dismantled Nadal in the quarters) in an incredible display in four sets of tennis to win his second grand slam title, following his win at the Australian Open last year.
Due to Nadal suffering from injury in that final, particularly during the second set when he looked set to retire, Wawrinka never got proper credit for his first slam win. That was harsh on the Swiss star, who had to cope with Nadal's situation and regroup after losing the third set.
Sunday's win though truly showed Wawrinka at his blistering best as he beat a man who had only lost twice this year and seemed finally destined to win the French Open and complete the career grand slam.
An even first set between the pair was lost when Wawrinka served a poor game at 3-3 but he soon hit Djokovic with a barrage of winners that even the greatest returner of all time couldn't find an answer to. His one handed backhand is arguably the most aggressive and potent shot in tennis and it was lethal on Sunday. Although it took him until his fifth break point to seal the second set, he was on top throughout as he electrified the crowd with winners on the forehand side as well as his trusted backhand.
Some utterly outrageous winners followed during the third set, including one which saw him hit a winner round the net post which delighted the Parisian crowd. Djokovic isn't one of the finest players ever to pick up a racquet for nothing and he fought back terrifically well at the start of the fourth set going into a 3-0 lead, as Wawrinka started to make some regular errors for the first time.
Anyone thinking Wawrinka was going to crack were then put in their place. A tremendous mix of defence and attack ensured he levelled up at 3-3. It was Djokovic's turn though for some brilliance as an incredible diving volley put him ahead before he suddenly got three break points on his opponents serve. Wawrinka's game came roaring back though and following some more terrific blows between the pair, it was Wawrinka who seized the opportunity and somewhat appropriately win the match with a blistering backhand.
His win propels him into the top four in the world rankings and he should now be considered as a huge threat in every grand slam. In an era where Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have won 39 slams between them since 2003, Wawrinka is the only multiple slam champion other than Andy Murray in that period.
He dominated Federer and Djokovic in the French Open and he's also beaten Nadal and Murray in grand slams too. What he now needs to find in the slams to stay in the elite is consistency. Last year he lost in the first round of the French, then this year he wins it. A phenomenal turnaround, but also something that would be very unlikely to happen in Djokovic's, Nadal's or even Murray's world.
There is no doubting though that Wawrinka has massively improved since hiring former world number two Magnus Norman as his coach in 2013. He has made him believe he can beat the best and has led him to two slams as well as a semi final in Melbourne this year and at the US Open in 2013. He has turned him into an even more aggressive player, as the 59 winners on Sunday prove.
He might already be 30, but Wawrinka is playing like someone ten years younger right now. That fearless attitude poses a huge threat to everyone else in the men's game and whilst grass isn't Wawrinka's best surface, he can still be a major threat at Wimbledon.
Wawrinka has now moved out of Federer's shadow and is now his country's current tennis superstar. For that alone, he deserves massive credit.
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