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Stan Wawrinka is the 2016 US Open champion, defeating top seed and two-time winner Novak Djokovic 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 after three hours and 55 minutes.
Wawrinka improved to 3-0 in Grand Slam finals, adding to his victories at the 2014 Australian Open and 2015 French Open.
The 31-year-old became just the fifth man in the Open era to win multiple major singles crowns after turning 30, joining Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.
The Swiss also became the oldest winner of the US Open in the Open era since Ken Roswell triumphed at the age of 35 in 1970.
Wawrinka boats the most potent backhand in tennis making him a formidable threat on the fast Flushing Meadows surface. More apparent in this victory however was his mental strength, which forced a complete capitulation by the World No.1.
Trailing two sets to one and 3-1 in the fourth set, Djokovic called a halt to proceedings to have his toes taped. Wawrinka complained to the chair umpire his opponent should have been forced to wait until the change of ends after the fifth game, but the Serb was allowed a six-minute break.
The stoppage almost cost the Swiss important momentum as Djokovic forced him to deuce three times in the fifth game, looking to break back. But Wawrinka held.
They had been playing for three hours and 23 minutes, by a distance Djokovic’s longest match of the tournament. Djokovic claimed a blister was the cause of his concern, but aren’t blisters a fairly common though irritable complaint in top-level tennis?
At 5-2 another break occurred in flagrant violation of the rules, which state a break can only be taken for an “acute medical condition that requires immediate attention”.
Earlier, Djokovic meekly fended a forehand back to Wawrinka, forcing the latter into thinking he was going to mount a challenge following a deep backhand close to the baseline. When Wawrinka lamely hit the ball out to end the point, Djokovic casually strolled to the opposite end for the next one.
Such gamesmanship is not befitting a great champion of Djokovic’s stature.
Consider this: Djokovic had been 51-0 in US Open matches, and 53-2 in all finals, when taking the first set. Wawrinka’s rally caught the Serb off guard. Djokovic has won 19 out of 24 matches between the pair. He is used to having things his own way.
Djokovic had a better serve percentage and won a higher percentage of points on first serve, but failed to convert 14 of 17 break points – he didn’t take his chances.
Wawrinka hit 46 winners to 30 and committed 12 of his 51 unforced errors in the first five games of the match.
The winner out-hustled and out-thought Djokovic, and even the best have to sometimes revisit the drawing board.
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