Stan Wawrinka

Stanislas "Stan" Wawrinka (French: [stanislas vavʁiŋka]; born 28 March 1985) is a Swiss professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3 in singles by the ATP. Wawrinka has won 16 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including three majors at the 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and the 2016 US Open, where he defeated the world No. 1 player in the final on all three occasions. He has also won an Olympic gold medal in men's doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics partnering Roger Federer, and was pivotal in the Swiss team's victory at the 2014 Davis Cup.

Wawrinka's other achievements include reaching the final of the 2017 French Open, winning a Masters 1000 title at the 2014 Monte-Carlo Masters, and reaching three other Masters finals (at 2008 Rome, 2013 Madrid and 2017 Indian Wells). He considers clay his best and favorite surface, and his serve and backhand his best shots. John McEnroe once said that Wawrinka has one of the most powerful backhands ever, and in 2009 deemed it "the best one-handed backhand in the game." He has been described by The Economist as "tennis's great latecomer", owing to finding his greatest success in his late 20s and early 30s. Prior to the 2014 French Open, he requested and was granted a formal change in his name from "Stanislas Wawrinka" to "Stan Wawrinka", stating that he plans to use the abbreviated name in tournament draws and press conferences.

Early life

Wawrinka was born in Switzerland to a German father and Swiss mother. He holds dual Swiss–German citizenship. His father Wolfram Wawrinka, a farmer and social worker, is German of Czech ancestry. Wawrinka's paternal great-grandfather originated from Silesia — the border region between Poland and the former Czechoslovakia — and the surname originates with the Polish language. It is related to Wawrzyniec, the Polish version of Laurence, or Laurentius. Wawrinka's mother, Isabelle, an educator, is Swiss. She works as a biodynamic farmer helping disabled people and, along with her husband, runs her in-laws' farm. The property, known as "Ferme du Château", is near Lausanne, and attached to the castle of Saint-Barthélemy. The farm assists people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, and people with depression or drug and alcohol problems. Here Wawrinka grew up with his elder brother, Jonathan, and his two younger sisters, Djanaée and Naélla, who are students and tennis players. Wawrinka attended the Rudolf Steiner School in Crissier.

Career

Wawrinka started playing tennis at the age of eight, and played once a week until he was eleven, when he started to practice three times a week. At that time, his coach changed his backhand stroke from two-handed to one-handed. Wawrinka stopped attending regular schooling at age 15 to focus full-time on tennis. However, he continued his schooling by distance education with the French organization CNED, which offered him greater flexibility.

Wawrinka turned professional in 2002 at the age of 17. He was coached from age 8 to 25 (ending in June 2010) by Dimitri Zavialoff.

Wawrinka is a three-time major champion, Olympic champion, and Davis Cup champion. He achieved a top-10 ranking by the ATP for the first time in May 2008, and first reached his career peak of world No. 3 on 27 January 2014, at the same time as he became the Swiss No. 1.

Wawrinka has reached four Grand Slam singles finals in his career to date, winning three: the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open; each time he defeated the reigning world No. 1 in the final (Rafael Nadal once and Novak Djokovic twice, respectively). In doubles and team tennis for Switzerland, he has won a gold medal in the men's doubles event at the 2008 Summer Olympics, partnering with Roger Federer, and the Davis Cup in 2014. He is the second Swiss man to win a major after Federer. He played in the longest doubles match in history at the 2013 Davis Cup, in a tie against the Czech Republic, partnering Marco Chiudinelli.

2002–2003: Juniors and turning pro

Wawrinka started playing international junior events at age 14 and entered the satellite circuit the following year. In 2002 Wawrinka became professional. In 2003 he had his first steps on the tour and ended the year ranked No. 169. He compiled an outstanding junior career, winning the Junior French Open in 2003 and reaching as high as No. 7 in the junior world rankings in June 2003.

2004–2007: Early career and first title

On 11 July, at Gstaad, Wawrinka progressed into his first ever career final, in doubles, with Marc Rosset as his partner. The Swiss pair lost in the final to Leander Paes and David Rikl. That year Wawrinka had his Davis Cup debut with the Swiss National Team. Wawrinka lost his first match against Victor Hănescu in a dead rubber. Switzerland won the tie 3–2 against Romania and progressed into the World Group quarterfinals. He finished the year ranked No. 162 in the world rankings.

Wawrinka had his Grand Slam debut at the French Open. He won against 22nd seed and Olympic gold medalist Nicolás Massú in the first round, in four sets. In the second round, Wawrinka came from two sets down to defeat James Blake. His run ended in the third round losing in four sets to the eventual runner-up Mariano Puerta.

After the French Open, Wawrinka had his first Wimbledon experience but lost in the first round to Fabrice Santoro in four sets. Wawrinka had his first singles final at the Swiss Open, but lost to Gastón Gaudio.

At the US Open, Wawrinka defeated Rajeev Ram and Mariano Puerta in five sets before losing in the third round to Nicolás Massú. By the end of 2005, he hovered just inside the top 50.

In July, Wawrinka won his first ATP title, at the Croatia Open Umag, when his opponent in the final, Novak Djokovic, retired through fatigue.

In October, Wawrinka reached a then career-high ranking of No. 29.

In the Australian Open, Wawrinka reached the third round and was beaten by second seed Rafael Nadal, losing in straight sets. He showed some impressive backhand skills, but was unable to deal with Nadal's heavy game.

He suffered a three-month setback, tearing a tendon in his right knee while practicing for the Swiss Davis Cup team's tie against Spain in February.

In the French Open Wawrinka pushed seventh seed Ivan Ljubičić to four sets in the second round. He also claimed wins over Guillermo Cañas and Juan Ignacio Chela en route to a meeting with Rafael Nadal in the final of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart in July. Nadal defeated Wawrinka in straight sets.

In the US Open, Wawrinka reached the fourth round, a stage he had never reached previously in a Grand Slam event, defeating 25th seed Marat Safin in straight sets in the second round. In the fourth round, he was ousted by Juan Ignacio Chela in five sets.

2008–2012: Top 10, first Masters final, Olympic Gold

By reaching the final of the Masters Series event in Rome, Wawrinka entered the top 10 for the first time. He lost in the final to Novak Djokovic, despite taking the opening set.

In the Olympics, Wawrinka teamed with Roger Federer in men's doubles. They beat the favoured Americans Bob and Mike Bryan in the semifinals in straight sets; then in the final, defeated Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson of Sweden in four sets to win the gold medal.

Wawrinka reached the fourth round of the US Open, where British player Andy Murray defeated him in straight sets.

Wawrinka lost to Rafael Nadal in the fourth round at the Miami Masters in Key Biscayne. Nadal came from behind in both sets to beat Wawrinka in two tie-breaks.

At the Monte-Carlo Masters, Wawrinka defeated No. 2 Roger Federer in straight sets, an upset which halted the chance of a fourth straight Nadal-Federer final in Monte Carlo.

At the French Open Wawrinka defeated Nicolas Devilder in five sets and Nicolás Massú in straight sets. He lost to Nikolay Davydenko in the third round in four sets.

At Wimbledon, in the third round he defeated 21-year-old Jesse Levine, who had upset Marat Safin in the first round. The Sunday Times reviewed Wawrinka's performance in the match by opining that he is "a strange player, clearly talented but short of match fitness and as clumsy on court as Federer is graceful." Wawrinka was defeated by Andy Murray in five sets in the fourth round. The match was also a debut usage of the new roof on Centre Court and was the latest match at Wimbledon, lasting until 22:37 GMT.

Wawrinka played in the Davis Cup tie with Italy and won in his first match against Andreas Seppi in straight sets.