Stanislas Wawrinka: who is the man who beat Nadal?
What you need to know about the new Australian Open tennis champion and friend of Federer
SWISS player Stanislas Wawrinka became the first man from outside the 'Big Four' to win a Grand Slam tennis title since 2009 when he shocked Rafa Nadal in the final of the Australian Open on Sunday.
The number eight seed also became the lowest-ranked player to win one of the majors since the unseeded Gaston Gaudio won in France ten years ago.
Wawrinka's four-set win over an injured Nadal ends a run of 16 Grand Slams won by Federer, Nadal, Djokovich or Murray since Argentine Juan Martin del Potro claimed the US Open title in 2009.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Here's what you need to know about the Swiss star who has shaken up the tennis hierarchy:
He has a diverse background. Wawrinka was born in Switzerland to a German father and Swiss mother, but his surname, pronounced 'Var-vrinka', is actually Polish. Despite that the German side of his family has Czech ancestry.
He left his wife and child to pursue his dream: Wawrinka married his girlfriend, Ilham Vuilloud, in late 2009 and their first child was born in early 2010. However, Wawrinka left his family in 2011 in order to dedicate himself to tennis. The couple were reunited within a year and getting back together appears to have been more beneficial than going it alone as Wawrinka's performances have improved dramatically since then.
He is a late bloomer. Wawrinka is 28, a veteran in tennis terms. He has been a pro since 2002 and his rise through the ranks has been slow and steady. He has gradually improved in recent seasons. His first Grand Slam quarter final came in 2010, and last year he got to the semi finals of a major tournament, the US Open, for the first time. But only six players have ever been older when they won their maiden Grand Slam, the most recent was Goran Ivanisevic who was 29 when he won Wimbledon in 2001.
He did it the hard way. By defeating both Nadal and Djokovich at Melbourne, Wawrinka became the first man to beat both the number one and two seeds on his way to a Grand Slam title since Sergi Bruguera did it at the 1993 French Open.
He may have taken inspiration from his tattoo. Wawrinka has a quote from Irish playwright Samuel Beckett tattooed on his left forearm. It reads: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better". Last year he explained its meaning. "This was my philosophy, my life philosophy, which is a tennis player's philosophy: If you're not called Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic, you're going to win but you have to learn from the losses."
He's better than Federer. Wawrinka, who started the tournament as the world number eight, has leap-frogged his friend Federer in the rankings as a result of his win in Australia. He is now the world number three, while Federer has slipped to eight. Wawrinka is also ranked higher than Britain's Andy Murray, who is now sixth.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why more and more adults are reaching for soft toys
Under The Radar Does the popularity of the Squishmallow show Gen Z are 'scared to grow up'?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magazine solutions - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Andy Murray: Britain's greatest sportsperson?
Talking Points Injury denies Scot a final singles appearance at Wimbledon but his place in history is assured
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Roger Federer’s retirement: an end to a ‘magical era’
Talking Point The Laver Cup will be the Swiss national’s final competitive appearance
By The Week Staff Published
-
Roger Federer and the ‘GOAT’ debate
Talking Point Tennis luminaries line up to declare the Swiss the greatest of all time
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Rafael Nadal: is the end drawing near for the ‘king of clay’?
feature After victory in the French Open final, Nadal admitted his career ‘hangs in the balance’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Australian Open: Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal serve up a memorable ending
feature After the Djokovic drama, the opening slam of 2022 will be remembered for the tennis
By Mike Starling Published
-
Australian Open men’s final: Nadal vs. Medvedev preview and predictions
feature Can Rafael Nadal win a record 21st grand slam title or will Daniil Medvedev claim a second?
By Mike Starling Published
-
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal: grand slam wins, big titles and career records
In the Spotlight Djokovic scooped his first Olympic gold in Paris this summer to match Rafael Nadal's win at Beijing 2008
By Mike Starling, The Week UK Last updated
-
‘Sad day for tennis’: is this the end of Roger Federer’s glittering career?
Today's Big Question 40-year-old Swiss maestro will have a third operation on his right knee
By Mike Starling Published