US Open: 'Top of the rock' and top of the pile, Stan Wawrinka is in the form of his life following Flushing Meadows victory

Wawrinka’s third Grand Slam title puts him level with Andy Murray and leaves him in touching distance of becoming only the ninth man in history to win all four of the sport’s major trophies

Stan Wawrinka on the observation deck at the Rockefeller Centre - commonly known as 'Top of the Rock' (Getty)

The “Top of the Rock”, an observation deck 65 storeys up the Rockefeller Centre here in the middle of Manhattan, was an appropriate place for Stan Wawrinka to reflect on the remarkable events of the evening before.

A long night of celebrations after his US Open final victory over Novak Djokovic on Sunday had not left the 31-year-old Swiss feeling on top of the world at that precise moment, but the view across New York on a glorious September day – as well as the sight of his trophy sitting on a table in front of him – clearly raised his spirits.

Asked what he had felt on waking up the morning after his 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 victory, Wawrinka said: “That I was tired. I had not had enough sleep. I was really tired. But it’s a special feeling for sure. For me it was more about the memory of the match. It was a crazy match.”

Wawrinka’s third Grand Slam title, which puts him level with Andy Murray and leaves him knowing that a victory at Wimbledon would see him become only the ninth man in history to win all four of the sport’s major trophies, came after a final that lasted nearly four hours and at the end of a tournament he described as the toughest he had ever played, from both a physical and mental viewpoint.

Djokovic had been the player who, controversially, took two medical time-outs in the fourth set for treatment to his toes, but Wawrinka had been in physical pain too, having started cramping in the third set. However, the world No 3 followed the advice of his coach, Magnus Norman, who had told him not to give Djokovic any sign of any physical problems he might be having.

Wawrinka had done the same in his earlier victories over Juan Martin del Potro and Kei Nishikori. “I was focusing, trying not to show anything,” he said. “I was trying to be even tougher with myself. I knew it was really important again yesterday. We all know how good Novak is and from the little things you give he will take and he will bite it.

“I knew he would also struggle. It’s always a tough match when we play each other. It’s physical and it’s not easy with the long rallies that I’m playing, so I was just focusing on not showing anything. You don’t want to give him any reason to think: ‘Ah, maybe I should stay because he’s also starting to be tired.’ It was one of the keys of the match.”


 Stan Wawrinka lifts the US Open trophy 
 (Getty)

Wawrinka was diplomatic in his views on Djokovic’s medical time-outs, which Patrick McEnroe, commentating on ESPN, had described as “complete abuse of the rules”. There has long been a view that some players use medical time-outs as a way of taking a breather or disrupting their opponent’s momentum. “I think sometimes some players abuse the rules for sure, but I think also you need to understand that sometimes you have real pain,” Wawrinka said.

Norman, a 40-year-old Swede who reached No 2 in the world rankings but never won a Grand Slam singles title, was also the man who calmed Wawrinka down in the locker room, where he had been crying and shaking with nerves just five minutes before going out on to Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“That was something really special,” Wawrinka said. “From yesterday, morning onwards I was really nervous, but somehow we found something. You can feel the confidence in him. He brings out your self-confidence. Before the match it was really difficult for me.”

Norman, who made his name as a coach with his fellow Swede Robin Soderling, started working with Wawrinka three years ago. He runs the Good to Great Academy with his fellow Swedes Nicklas Kulti and Mikael Tillstrom (who coaches Gael Monfils), though Wawrinka said it had been the man rather than the institution which initially drew him to Norman.

Asked if Norman’s greatest strength was his mental approach, Wawrinka said: “It’s a little bit of everything. I was talking about the mental side because the day of the final it’s more about that than practising your forehand or backhand. For me it’s also about the way to be at the top, or how to win big titles. It’s all about working well, doing the right things day after day.”

Stan Wawrinka (Getty)

Wawrinka’s record under Norman has been remarkable, particularly as the Swiss has competed in the era of the “Big Four”. Djokovic, Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have won 42 of the last 47 Grand Slam titles and 53 of the last 58 Masters Series events.

Although Wawrinka continues to insist that the Big Four will always be in a different league to him because of their longevity and consistency, his recent record at Grand Slam level is exceptional. In the time Wawrinka has won his three Grand Slam titles, Federer has won none and Murray and Nadal have won just one each.

Under Norman’s guidance Wawrinka has now won 11 finals in a row. In the last three years, moreover, he has been the only player to get the better of Djokovic more than once at Grand Slam level, having also beaten the world No 1 en route to his triumph at the 2014 Australian Open and in the final of last year’s French Open.

Wawrinka admitted that he had never dreamed of such success when he was younger. “I’ve really surprised myself,” he said. “My only goal when I started was to be a professional tennis player, to maybe one day play the French Open. When I started to be better and better my goal – and it’s one that I still have – was not to regret anything. That’s why I am still trying to do everything to improve.”