The ATP season is now in its second indoor phase, with 500-level events in Basel and Vienna preceding the final Masters competition in Paris.
At the Swiss tournament, Stan Wawrinka played the 985th and final match of his extraordinary career, which began back in 2003 and has encompassed three Grand Slam titles.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer and tennis fan AJ Becker takes a closer look at Wawrinka’s achievements and the legacy that the much-loved Swiss may leave.
Starting out
It was the summer of 2003. Saddam Hussein had just been removed from power.
David Beckham departed Manchester United to join Real Madrid.
A song of immense lyrical depth about Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut almost topped the UK charts.
And during an intense Europe-wide heatwave, Wawrinka – having just claimed the Junior French Open – began his senior tour career on the home clay of Gstaad.
Early promise
While reaching the boys’ final at Roland Garros is no indicator of future prosperity – for every Andrey Rublev there is an Uladzimir Ignatik, for every Gaël Monfils a Daniel Berta – Wawrinka showed signs of real promise in those early years.
His one-handed backhand was his primary attack weapon, nicely supplementing the old staple of a deadly first serve.
Wawrinka rarely rose above the level of solid during 2005-2012, with his deepest runs in slams seeing him reach the quarter-finals and the Top 20 of the rankings his ostensible ceiling.
He had the quality to overpower most outside of the elite bracket, if not the killer instinct to successfully battle the “big four”.
Statement of intent
This collective term refers to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray – all of whom were born within four years of Stan.
Six of the Lausanne native’s first seven tour finals ended in defeat; four came at the hands of one of the above, with Wawrinka putting in some creditable, albeit futile performances.
Indeed, a casual observer may have formed the view that he was destined to a career in the backdrop, with the “big four” simply blocking the door to major titles.
However, joining forces with former world #2 Magnus Norman at the start of 2013 would prove to be a career-defining moment; if Wawrinka was the builder of his success, Norman was the architect.
This Swedish-Swiss collaboration was to bear early fruit, as Stan came mighty close to defeating Djokovic at the Australian Open, eventually falling 12-10 in the decider of a five-hour blockbuster.
A trip to Madrid brought Stan a first Masters final in five years and felt like a further statement of intent, though even greater days were to follow.
Grand Slam breakthrough
The following year, fate had a Djokovic rematch in store at the Melbourne major – the Serb by this time having accumulated a 25-match winning streak at the tournament.
Through a combination of tactical boldness – his power from both backhand and forehand wings was rewarded – and mental fortitude – believing he could win in a match others would ‘lose’ before they stepped on the court – it was Wawrinka who emerged on the winning side of an epic this time.
That said, few gave the Swiss a chance in his maiden slam final, having lost all 12 previous encounters (and all 26 sets) against Nadal.
Yet with the application of focus, concentration and steel – along with some truly breathtaking backhand winners – Stan brought the trophy home, elevating himself to a perch unfamiliar to most players in doing so.
Big match mentality
The aforementioned “big four” made successive generations of supposedly high-quality players appear deficient and even poltroon.
Indeed, Wawrinka’s combined record against the “big three” (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) stands at 12-63.
Nonetheless, Grand Slam events lent a fascinating sub-plot to his rivalries with them; all three of his triumphs involved victory over the then-world #1 in the final.
To achieve the above even once would arguably cross the boundaries of greatness, and Stan is in good company, as only he and Murray won multiple majors in the era of “big three” dominance (2003-2023).
Wawrinka comes across as modest and unassuming, even limelight-allergic, though he will be energised by the glowing tributes paid in recent days, as the hours and days of retirement stretch out before him.
Those behemoth successes have outweighed the occasional disappointment – being unable to make any kind of impact on grass, nor build on his sole Masters success at Monte-Carlo – in a career that has defied the odds.
Legacy
What might the Wawrinka legacy be?
The influence exerted upon younger players with one-handed backhands?
Lorenzo Musetti is heading that league table and has expressed his admiration for Stan, though the Italian is one of just five such players in the current Top 100.
The spirit induced in an underdog facing a daunting final?
They too can believe an against-the-odds victory could be theirs.
The hope bestowed upon underachieving players in their 20s?
They can hit back at the critics with what may be known as The Wawrinka Defence – “he was a late bloomer, I may be also”.
The inspiration placed in a new generation of Swiss talent?
2027 will be the first year this century that neither he nor Federer will have a tour presence; the likes of Jerome Kym and Leandro Riedi have much to live up to.
One hopes the Wawrinka legacy will be all of the above.
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