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Petr Korda. Thomas Johansson. Albert Costa. Gaston Gaudio. All these men have one thing in common: one grand-slam singles title.
While the tennis tragics among us will remember these now forgotten men, when they each won their respective slams, they looked like they had all the potential in the world.
The situations they were once in were not dissimilar to the one Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka is in right now.
The new Swiss maestro and now world number three just won his first grand slam, but is it possible that runner-up, Rafael Nadal, won more?
Yes in fact he has won 12 more grand slams than the Stanimal, but in fighting through what appeared to be intense pain to win a set off the seemingly uncrackable Wawrinka, Nadal cemented himself in the annals of not only Australian Open history, but tennis history, as one of the very greatest to pick up a racket.
Nadal already had myself convinced, along with many others, that he was one of the greats of the sport. In my opinion, behind only Roger Federer and Pete Sampras.
But for anyone looking for any more proof that Nadal may one day have the Parisian centre court named after him, look no further than last night’s performance.
Not only did Nadal do his opponent, the game, the tournament, the fans, his coach and supporters and himself the respect of playing on, he took a set off the impeccable Wawrinka.
Could it be that one of the most painful and no doubt upsetting experiences of Nadal’s career be that which is most defining of his champion qualities and unquestionable love and respect for the game?
I’ll let you decide, Roarers. He has, after all, won a lot of titles.
But what does this have to do with Stan the Man? He still won the Open. He still beat the world number 1, one of the greats of the sport.
Certainly he is destined for as bright a future as any?
Perhaps he is, perhaps he isn’t. Surely Richard Krajicek also was when he won his one and only slam, dethroning Pistol Pete to win Wimbledon in 1996.
I, as well as the rest of the tennis-loving world, hope Stanislas Wawrinka has as good a career as any.
Even if he doesn’t, look at Andy Roddick. Only one of his 32 career titles was a grand slam win (US Open, 2003), but he went on to have a great career.
Last night may have been the beginning of something big for Stan.
Or not. Either way, the 2014 Australian Open men’s final will certainly be remembered. But for what exactly?
The night Stanislas Wawrinka won his first slam? Or the night Rafael Nadal immortalised himself as one of the greatest fighters the sport has ever seen.
Slams are soon forgotten; legends are not.
As Bruce McAvaney said last night, you learn more about a champion when he’s at the bottom of the mountain than when he’s at the top.
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