Australian Open 2014 Champion: Stanislas Wawrinka

I haven’t watched such a dramatic match for so long! The final match between Rafa Nadal and Stanislas Wawrinka had many emotional and dramatic scenes. During the tournament Rafa Nadal had a great performance so was Stanislas Wawrinka. Althouh Stan improved himself a lot and defeated Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, when it comes to Rafa it is another story. These two players played together 12 times and all of them written on the Rafa’s score card. So today’s match was really important to see what Stan could do against superb Spaniard!

Stan started the first set like a storm! Although he had problems with his serves, he could manage to get an early break from Rafa and took the set 6-3. He dominated the game and played very good. Before the second set began, Rafa took a medical timeout and gone for a while. When he was back, some of the audience hissed at him as he was interrupting Stan’s mood or breaking the game but we saw that Rafa was hardly moving in the court and it was obvious that he was suffering a lot. He also showed with his attitude during the game that he is much more mature person than some people in the crowd.

Rafa was looking so bad and he cried a little in the court that i have never seen him like that before during the game, i thought that he will withdraw from the match but he didn’t.  Stan took the second set 6-2. Being a real champion is not about scores or titles that you win but mostly the attitude and respect to the game, to your opponent and to the audience. Rafa Nadal shows us that he is a great Champion once more. I love him and respect him a lot.

In the third set Stan lost in mentally because he was not sure how to played against a suffering opponent. By that time Nadal began to move better and did some shots that he couldn’t do in the previous sets. Stan lost his focus and pace and could not hold his service game and Rafa took the 3rd set 6-3. There is no question that Rafa is the best player in the ATP tour now. But Stan could beat him even he was not injured today. So what Stan has to do is to show everyone that he could get his focus and pace back. It is another test for him to pass to become a Grand Slam Champion.

The match was so dramatic. I could see the disappoinment in Rafa’s eyes, he suffered both pyhsically and emotionally. But he really could manage it masterly. He is one of the fews players in the tour that could handle it like that. Stan succeded to get his game back on court, showed us that he is a really strong player not only in technical meaning but also mentally. He played great and deserved the championship so much. He took the match 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.  Australian Open is the first Grand Slam that he wins but i am sure he will win more Grand Slams in the future. He is the only player that beats Rafa and Djokovic in the same Grand Slam. He will be number 3 tomorrow in the rankings. What can i say! I am really happy for him. He deserves all of this and he will be better in future. Congratulations Stan the Man!!!

*Photo taken from the Australin Open Facebook page.