World No.9 Stanislas Wawrinka claimed his second Grand Slam title and maiden French Open crown after beating world No.1 Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the final here on Sunday.
Djokovic's
dream of completing the career Grand Slam went in vain as the Swiss
outplayed the eight-time Grand Slam champion in a four-set thriller
here, thus claiming his second Grand Slam crown after winning his first
in 2014 Australian Open.
Wawrinka staved off an
immediate break point in the opening game of the match, and a pulsating
39-shot rally punctuated a hard-fought hold for the Swiss.
But Djokovic's efforts to take a first-set lead would not be
thwarted two games later, breaking to love when Wawrinka double faulted
down 0/40.
With former World No. 1 Gustavo
Kuerten and Bjorn Borg in attendance, along with Mansour Bahrami and
actor Clive Owen, Djokovic, with some top shots, claimed the first set
6-4.
Wawrinka came back strongly in the second set, winning a pair of break chances to take a 3-1 lead.
With Djokovic serving at 4-5 30/0, the Swiss struck a sublime return on a leaping kick serve and laced a backhand winner.
A
backhand unforced error would give Wawrinka his sixth break point of
the match - and first set point - and this time he would not let it
slip, forcing the top seed to misfire from the baseline after a grueling
exchange of backhand power. Four straight points from 30/0 down for the
eighth seed and the match was drawn level at a set apiece.
As
the third set began, the Swiss continued to apply the pressure on
Djokovic. But the World No. 1 was ruthless with his back against the
wall, saving an additional three break points in the second game.
With
the momentum vacillating between the two competitors in the early
stages of the third set, Wawrinka saw another opening on Djokovic's
serve and finally converted.
A near-flawless
return game granted him a 0/40 lead behind two roped backhand winners
and he would break to love, pulling ahead 4-2. He ripped 15 winners and
won 19 of 21 first serve points in the third, claiming all six points
when venturing to the net.
Wawrinka's fortunes
at the net would change momentarily in the second game of the fourth set
as a netted approach followed by a backhand error gave the Serb an
immediate 2-0 lead.
Djokovic would consolidate
for 3-0, but that's where his run would come to an abrupt end. Wawrinka
reeled off 12 of the next 15 points to break back and draw level at
3-all.
An ill-advised Djokovic serve and volley on a second serve at 4-all deuce gave Wawrinka his 15th break point of the match.
The
Swiss would not be denied the break, nor the match, converting on his
second championship point at 5-4 with his 60th winner of the match, a
rifled backhand down the line.
With the title, Wawrinka also become the sixth former Roland Garros boys' champion to win the men's title.
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