WIMBLEDON, England—Stan Wawrinka sees his game as currently the best equipped to hit through world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, as he did in the French Open final. Wawrinka dropped the opening set of the match but told The Telegraphin an interview that he kept attempting to impose himself and dominate the play.
“I still thought, ‘Play your game, he doesn’t like you [as an opponent], he doesn’t like the way you play your game, you’re the only player who can really push him back, who can really make him feel uncomfortable.’ And that’s what happened in the final,” said Wawrinka. “Little by little, already at the end of the first set, I started to be maybe 20 cm in front.”
Although he is just 4-17 against the Serb, Wawrinka has beat Djokovic in their two most recent Grand Slam meetings, and lost five-setters in the prior two Grand Slam matches. In the Swiss' mind, his five-set loss to Djokovic at the 2013 Australian Open was a breakthrough.
“When I played Novak in 2013,” Wawrinka said, “I had the click inside me that said, ‘OK, I might maybe one day beat him in a Grand Slam. I know I can do it, I have not only the game but I’m also ready mentally to do it.”
Wawrinka notes he is not as consistent as the Big Four, and is still learning from them. “I always try to practice with the Big Four as much as I can, and have done for many years,” said Wawrinka. “I don’t put myself as a rival with them. I respect them so much. I try to practice with them as much as I can because you can learn so much from the top guys.”
Wawrinka is the No. 4 seed at Wimbledon, and is in Djokovic's half of the draw.