Roland Garros champion Wawrinka yet to claim ‘Big Four’ status

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  • Stan Wawrinka has now won the same amount of majors as Andy Murray.

    Stan Wawrinka is the man of the hour at the moment after his stunning victory over Novak Djokovic to win the French Open – his second major title in the last six grand slams – but the Swiss remains aware that he is yet to claim ‘Big Four’ status.

    While Wawrinka now has as many majors as Andy Murray, and in the past 18 months has won as many grand slams as Djokovic and more slams than Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the world No4 lacks the consistency the ‘Big Four’ maintain over the course of a full season.

    Consistency is something Wawrinka is trying to work on, with the help of his Swedish coach, Magnus Norman, but the 30-year-old is not obsessed with the idea of creating a new ‘Big Five’.

    “I don’t know. I’m trying (to be more consistent). I’m trying that every tournament, but so far it’s just me. I’m not as strong as the Big Four. They are winning everything. But I’m strong enough to win some big title sometimes during the years. So I didn’t find the way how to play my best game every tournament, but I’m still okay and satisfied with my career so far,” said Wawrinka.

    “I’m not as good as they are. But I’m quite good enough to win two grand slam tournaments. I can beat them in majors, in a semi-final, in a final. But once again, the Big Four will always be the Big Four. I don’t want to be in comparison with them. I want to make progress and strides. I want to beat them. That’s all.”

    Norman was still in shock after Wawrinka’s win on Sunday and described his student’s form as the best he’s ever seen him play.

    The pair started working together two years ago and the partnership has done wonders to Wawrinka’s mental strength and confidence.

    “He always finds good words to make me believe in myself and to go on the courts knowing and believing that I can beat the No1 player in a grand slam final,” Wawrinka said of Norman’s pep talk ahead of the Roland Garros final.

    Through Wawrinka’s triumph, Norman has finally won the French Open after finishing as runner-up in 2000 when he was a player, and guiding Robin Soderling to two runner-up places in 2009 and 2010.

    Asked if Wawrinka should be considered a major contender now at Wimbledon and the grand slams beyond, Norman said: “Now we have to calm down a little bit. He’s still not as consistent as the Big Four guys. He’s losing sometimes a little bit early in the Masters events. This was one win but the year is long and he has more to prove to be a contender at every slam.

    “That’s also a little bit why he’s a very interesting player to watch, because you never know what to expect with him. This week we saw the greatness of Stan but next week it could be something else. And this is my job to try to make him a little bit more consistent. If he wants to break into the top four he has to be a little bit more consistent week in, week out.”

    There are more key figures who were in Wawrinka’s box during the final on Sunday, physical trainer Pierre Paganini and Swiss Davis Cup coach Severin Luthi – both of whom work with Roger Federer.

    Wawrinka would never have been able to keep up his intensity the way he did against Federer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Djokovic in his last three matches in Paris had he not put in the hard yards with Paganini.

    Norman believes Wawrinka can continue to play at this level for several more years.

    “Because he has a great fitness coach, Pierre, and he’s making all the big plans for Stan. Telling us when to rest, when to push, so yes because Pierre is on the team. It’s as simple as that,” explained the Swede.

    Wawrinka also paid tribute to Paganini saying: “I owe him a lot. He helped me build my physical condition, my mental approach.”

    Throughout Wawrinka’s mental and physical transformation, one thing has always stood out – his surreal one-handed backhand.

    Both Norman and Djokovic agree that is the best on the circuit and although only 11 of Wawrinka’s 60 winners against Djokovic came off the backhand, it was the shot he used at the most pivotal moments of the match.

    “I think you have to be amazed. Today two, three times I was like ‘how can you hit the backhand passing shot winner from there?’ It’s unbelievable,” said Luthi.

    “He could really play those shots in very important moments so I think that sometimes can make the difference.”

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