STAN IS THE MAN ONCE MORE AS HE DENIES NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO WIN THE FRENCH OPEN TENNIS BY GLOBAL CHICK

Stan is the Man once more as he denies Novak Djokovic to win the French Open

 

Fifteen days, two men, one defining moment for the winner – it all came down to this. World No 1 Novak Djokovic took on Stan Wawrinka in the Roland Garros final. You knew when the first game alone consisted of a 39 shot rally that we could be in for something very special, no matter who the victor.

 

The pair set a blistering pace from the start, so the manner of Wawrinka’s loose play in the seventh game was a surprisingly quick lapse to hand Djokovic his first break. Much like Andy Murray in his semi-final – it was not that Wawrinka was playing badly, but Djokovic was just little bit better.

 

Although Wawrinka saved two set points and even brought up a break point of his own, he could not stop Djokovic on his third match point and with a roar, he let the crowd know that he meant to get his name on that trophy!

 

Exhorting himself to ‘come on’ and not even an ‘allez,’ Wawrinka had to start quickly in the second set and threatened but the Serbian Wall was being… well a Serbian wall. Finally though, the Swiss was able to make good on a breakpoint to get the second set.

 

Djokovic looked bendy and stretchy, frustrated at times by his inability to put the Swiss under any pressure in the third set, while all the while having to defend as Wawrinka started to play with a lot more confidence and boldness. The Swiss of the picnic-blanket shorts was rewarded with a break as he took a 2-1 lead. Ah me… Djokovic would have to do it the hard way if he wanted to reach a career Slam (as it should be)!

 

He certainly started with intent, breaking Wawrinka at the start of the fourth set, and you had to feel that if Stan the Man did not get the job done in four sets it would all holey cheese and fondues by tea time. Djokovic was throwing in enough drop-shots to make all and sundry think he was looking fatigued, but can recover just as quickly. But while we are on the subject of recovery, Wawrinka reeled off three games in a row to make thinks all even-stevens (except no-one called Steven was playing, oh dear).

 

We had to wonder whether an amazing reflex volley and an almighty hold for Djokovic at 3-3 would be the turning point for his hopes of that elusive French Open title. He almost had Wawrinka on the ropes, but he came back from 0/40 down to have a massive hold of his own. Tension was mounting, baguettes twisted in our hands until they were reduced to dusty crumbs, as Wawrinka broke to serve for the title.

 

Djokovic, on the brink of waving cheerio to one of the best chances he has had of completing fought back, saving one match point, but his chance of a career slam had to go on ice for now as Stan Wawrinka claimed his second Slam title.

 

Let’s think about this now – Wawrinka now equals compatriot Roger Federer for Slam titles on clay, equals Andy Murray in Slam titles won, and he beat two World No. 1s to do it. Perhaps also he might have small measure of revenge after the character assassination article appeared on the eve of the tournament.

 

For Djokovic, three finals in the last four years and still no trophy but he was gracious as always in defeat, sharing a lovely moment at the net and for his part received a prolonged ovation at the presentation, finally giving way to the emotion of the occasion.

 

And there we have it – we have had 15 days of highs, lows, wind-swept and collapsing stadiums and… those shorts. But there is no time to even reflect as the turnaround for the grass court season for players, writers and fans alike is brutally quick.

 

There will be welcome bounces up the rankings for some players, and there will be worrying downwards trends for others, but worry not dear readers – this Global Chick will be on the case quicker than it takes to whack the clay out of one pair of shoes and get into those hopeless dimpled grass shoes, with a full rankings rundown and who to watch in Stuttgart, Nottingham and s-Hertogenbosch.

 

Au revoir….

 

EDITORS NOTE: the funniest comment from a commentator goes to MARY CARILLO

RE : Stan Wawrinka’s Shorts  “the real danger here is he might think this is his lucky outfit …”

Topics: Atp World Tour, Djoker Nole, French Open final, global chick, Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros 2015, Stan The Man, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis News

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