Stan Wawrinka (foto ©Alvaro Gandara Astray) reached the final defeating Marsel Ilhan, Dusan Lajovic, Steve Johnson, Gilles Simon, Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. So far he lost a total of two sets: one in the second round to Lajovic and one in the semifinal to Tsonga. This is his first Roland Garros final.
Novak Djokovic reached the final defeating Jarkko Nieminen, Gilles Muller, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Richard Gasquet, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. So far he lost a total of two sets, both in the semifinal to Murray. This is his third Roland Garros final after losing the 2012 and 2014 ones.
Stan Wawrinka starts the match aggressively but not enough to outplay Novak Djokovic. The Serb has a break point in the first game but the Swiss wins his service game. Wawrinka seems to have a little edge over his opponent in this beginning but fails to exploit that little advantage. Djokovic, simply striking back, has another break point in the fifth game but the Swiss wins his service game again. Wawrinka has suddenly a blackout and concludes a disastrous seventh game with a double fault: the break for the Serb is practically a present. In the tenth game Djokovic has two set points but plays them poorly, offers a break point but cancels it with a serve winner and finally wins the first set 6-4.
In the second set Novak Djokovic has a break point in the first game but as in the first set Stan Wawrinka wins his service game. The Swiss tries to do something more and in the fourth game has a total of two break points but the Serb wins his service game. In the sixth game Wawrinka has another break point but again the Serb wins his service game. In the eighth game Wawrinka has another break point but again the Serb wins his service game. In the tenth game the now usual break point for Wawrinka is also a set point and this time he exploits it to win the second set 6-4.
In the third set Novak Djokovic keeps on having problems with his serve and in the second game offers a total of three break points but this time he wins his service game. Stan Wawrinka is playing in a truly excellent way, also taking advantage of some shots that are a little short by the Serb, and also with some sensational hits in the sixth game breaks his opponent. In his best moment, however, the Swiss forces some shots and in the seventh game offers your opponent a break point but wins his service game. Djokovic fails to make a difference and in the ninth game Wawrinka closes the third set 6-3.
In the fourth set Novak Djokovic reacts and in the second game breaks a Stan Wawrinka who hurried a few shots. The Swiss, however, resumes playing at his top level and in the fifth set breaks the Serb. In the seventh game Wawrinka has two more break points but this time Djokovic reacts as a champion and wins his service game. The Serb increases his intensity and in the eighth game has three break points but the Swiss wins his service game and in the next game he’s the one breaking his opponent. Wawrinka serves for the match, has a match point but doens’t exploit it, offers a break point but Djokovic plays it poorly and finally manages to win the fourth set 6-4 to conquer the match and his first Roland Garros title.
Novak Djokovic seemed invincible in this tournament, in which he also dethroned Rafael Nadal. Today, however, only occasionally managed to play his game, often simply trying to contain his opponent. For him it’s a tough defeat, also because he was really the favorite. Of course he’ll try again and if Nadal fails to come back close to his best the Serb can do it but must try to impose his game more than he did today.
Stan Wawrinka is having his greatest triumphs in the “maturity” phase of his career. Today he started the match well and managed to elevate his level during the sets, imposing his game with many sensational winners. I think he played even better than when he won the Australian Open deserving this Roland Garros title. It’s hard to say how much he can still win but we have to consider him among the possible candidates in the next big tournaments.
