Another surprise on the cards
Having not reached another Grand Slam final since that monumental feat in Paris, Wawrinka was once again not a part of the pre-US Open discussions this year. He had not even made it to a summit clash in his last five tournaments.
His path to the title was riddled with all sorts of dangers and it did not look propitious at all.
But the 31-year-old was on a mission. He had set his mind to finding his championship-winning form through pain and adversity. The index finger-pointing to the temple that earned a cult status throughout his New York sojourn was what reminded him of it again and again.
It was to emphasize he was there in it – mind, body and soul. It was a signal to his anxious box that he remembers why he was there and that he was not going to bow out without putting every ounce of his strength – both physical and mental – into his war.
It was not just a war with his opponent. It was more about his unrelenting perseverance and an unbroken promise to find himself on the court. Because if he could fight and rediscover the very best he could be, he was capable of doing anything.
The Swiss beautifully described his eternal search to find his best form when he was asked about his finger-pointing gesture shortly after his semi-final victory over 2014 runner-up Kei Nishikori.
“Sometimes I don’t always find myself comfortable on the court and I have to fight with myself. So, that’s what I am focussed here – to fight, to suffer, to accept to suffer, to accept that the player in front of me (is) playing better. And that’s when I am happy with myself and proud of myself when I stay strong with what I want to do.”
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He did stay strong despite the initial hiccups, despite facing a match point against the World No. 64 Daniel Evans in the third round. He weathered the storm, made peace with his own suffering and when he arrived at the final, he was already battle-hardened.
A maiden final under the lights in the vibrant, chaotic atmosphere of New York is enough to make anyone feel jittery. Momentarily, Stan shook with fear as admitted by the champion in his post-match press conference.
But he also reminded himself of his tireless commitment: “Put the fight on the court and you will have a chance to win.”
That conviction was what won half the battle for him even before he and Djokovic started their match.
Even though it was a slow start for him, Stan never drifted away from what was his principal aim. In the second set, when his smashing backhand-down-the-line winner broke the World No. 1’s serve to put him up 3-1, Stan pointed his finger to his temple.
That gesture was to convey to himself as well as to his support group that he has found that version of himself who is ready to do everything in his power to get the win. No matter how insurmountable the mountain is, he is ready for the bruises to reach the summit.
The gesture was recurrent for the next two sets although the significance of it was different at different junctures. When he went up 2-0 in the third set, he stressed that he was still there in the hunt.
As Djokovic’s backhand sailed wide to present the third set 7-5 to Stan, the Swiss once more pointed to his temple. This time, he pledged not to back off now that he was so close to his goal.
And he kept his promise
There had never been any doubt that Stan was always a gifted player. But it was the negativity inside his head that had become a major deterrent most of the times in his pre-2013 days and barred him from becoming the best he could always be. And conquering his inner demons was what made the remarkable turnaround possible when, at the age of 28, he could finally enter his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the 2013 US Open after 34 previous fruitless attempts.
Since then, he did not lose any of the next 11 finals that he reached.
From a challenger to a contender, from a floater to a champion, from being the ‘other’ Swiss to winning three Grand Slam titles – Stan Wawrinka is the perfect role model for the strugglers, the commoners who fail every day but never stop trying. For the late bloomers who have sweated it out on the court every day only to meet with crushing defeat, he is the guide. For the numerous ‘backbenchers’ on the ATP Tour who have to be forever content with remaining out of the spotlight, he is the inspiration.
Wawrinka’s story is an apt example of why it is never too late to dream. It is indeed possible to achieve your goals at any age if one finds the best way to make one’s mind work.
After all, having talent is simply not enough because it all begins and ends in the head.
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