ROLAND GARROS, Paris

[CR1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [CR9] Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

Wawrinka spoiled Djokovic’s plans for his first French Open title as well as squashed his dream of winning a calendar year Grand Slam this year.  No Nadal and everyone, including Djokovic, thought this tournament was Djokovic’s. It seemed almost a foregone conclusion, until Murray pushed him to five sets in the semi-final.  It became apparent that Djokovic was not invincible; he was feeling the pressure of trying to win the French Open for the first time.  He underestimated Wawrinka, which he should not have given that Wawrinka had pushed him to five sets at this year’s Australian Open.

Yet, who can blame him, he won the first set and Wawrinka appeared distracted. However, Wawrinka settled into the match, trusting in his fitness as well as his game.  He also remembered that he has done this before, when he stunned Djokovic in the 2014 Australian Open and defeated Nadal that same tournament in the final to win his first major.  Djokovic should have been a tad more wary.  Was Djokovic affected by fatigue?  Today made three consecutive days that he was on court.  That combined with the pressure of expectation had to have taken a mental as well as physical toll. Nevertheless, Wawrinka had to win this match and he did. He ran Djokovic ragged and finally wore him down to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 and captured his first French Open title