As his blazing backhand skidded off from inside the baseline, Stanislas Wawrinka sent his racket rocketing skywards after dashing Novak Djokovic's French Open dreams with a victory barely anyone expected on Sunday. (Photo: AP)
Wawrinka, who had lost in the first round at Roland Garros last year, turned his fortunes by winning the French Open in 2015. The triumph also made him the the oldest man to win the French Open since Andres Gomez in 1990, who was 32 days older. (
Stanislas Wawrinka became the only second Swiss player after Roger Federer to have won the French Open title in the last eleven years. (Photo: AP)
Stanislas Wawrinka received the trophy from Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten, who has three Roland Garros titles against his name, after winning the men's final of the French Open against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. (Photo: AP)
The points Wawrinka won included a monster 39-shot rally in the first game and a bone-crunching backhand fired into Djokovic's body that brought the crowd to their feet. (Photo: AP)
Victory certainly tasted sweet for the 30-year-old who ended Djokovic's 28-match winning streak to become the oldest man to hoist the Musketeers' Cup since Andres Gomez in 1990. (Photo: AP)
"Magnus always found the words to make me believe in myself (and made sure I) go on court knowing and believing that I can beat the No. 1 player in a grand slam final," Wawrinka said. (Photo: AP)
A year after Wawrinka drowned his sorrows at a popular Paris burger joint following his 2014 first round humbling, the Swiss was all smiles on Sunday as he enjoyed a champagne reception with his coach Magnus Norman in the Roland Garros players'
"I want to say congratulations to Stan and it is not very easy for me to speak now, there are things in life that are more important than victories and that is character and respect," the eight-times grand slam champion said after coming off second
The fans, who had tried to rouse Djokovic throughout the fourth set by chanting his nickname "No-le, No-le, No-le" realised how crushing the defeat must mean for the Serb and gave him a prolonged standing ovation that reduced him to tears. (Photo:
"I played the match of my life, it's hard to believe. Playing against Novak was one of the biggest challenges. I know how much he wanted this Roland Garros," a gracious Wawrinka told the crowd after adding the French Open title to his 2014
But destiny and reality were not on the same wavelength on Sunday as Djokovic, who had conquered nine-times champion Rafa Nadal in the quarter-finals and third seed Andy Murray in the semis, fell two sets short of the one title he so desperately
It was a 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 triumph only Wawrinka's nearest and dearest saw coming as the Swiss was facing a player who had looked destined to join the all-time greats by becoming the eighth man to complete a career grand slam. (Photo: AP)