New York: Stanislas Wawrinka got the better Novak Djokovic 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in three hours and 55 minutes to win the 2016 US Open at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.
Wawrinka, who had earlier won the 2014 Australian Open and the 2015 Roland Garros, became the fifth man in the Open Era to win multiple major singles crowns after turning 30, joining Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.
Wawrinka committed 51 unforced errors but smashed 46 winners past the World No 1. Wawrinka cashed in on six of 10 break point opportunities, and frustrated Djokovic by saving 14 of 17 break points against him.
Djokovic took an early 3-0 lead in the first set and when at 5-3 it seemed the World No. 1 would had it easy, Wawrinka raised his game, making it 5-all. The set proceeded to a tie-break, which Djokovic won by 7-1.
In the second set, the Swiss kept the pressure on the Serb and broke Djokovic in the fourth game to claim a 3-1 lead. Wawrinka consolidated the lead by winning the fifth game, coming from behind (0-40). However, Djokovic made it 4-3 and when it appeared that the set was heading for another tiebreaker, Wawrinka ended it in the 10th game.
After Wawrinka had taken a 3-0 lead in the third set, Djokovic came back from behind to level the score at 3-3 and looked to swing momentum to his side of the net with another break in a lengthy game at 4-all. However, Wawrinka kept his nerves and took the set 7-5 to take a 2-1 lead.
Wawrinka raced to a 3-0 lead before Djokovic took a six-minute medical timeout to treat his toe on his right foot. However, the stoppage of play did not deter Wawrinka and he finally won the set 6-3 to win his third Grand Slam.
"This is amazing, for sure, amazing two weeks," Wawrinka said, according to usopen.rog, adding, "I spend so much time on the court. Today I knew it will be a really tough battle again playing the No. 1 player, Novak Djokovic, who always push you to play your best tennis if you want to beat him. Was not only in the tennis side but physically and mentally was really tough, again."
2016 US Open chmapions
Men’s Singles: Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland
Women’s Singles: Angelique Kerber, Germany
Men’s Doubles: Jamie Murray, Great Britain, and Bruno Soares, Brazil
Women’s Doubles: Bethanie Mattek-Sands, U.S., and Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic
Mixed Doubles: Laura Siegemund, Germany, and Mate Pavic, Croatia
Boys’ Singles: Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada
Girls’ Singles: Kayla Day, U.S.
Boys’ Doubles: Juan Carlos Manuel Aguilar, Bolivia, and Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves, Brazil
Girls’ Doubles: Jada Hart and Ena Shibahara, U.S.