Stanislas Wawrinka has beaten Rafael Nadal to be crowned the new Australian Open champion after a four set match (6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3) marred by injury.
During the second set Nadal was forced off the court for a medical time-out with a back injury. Clearly in discomfort, Australian fans did what Australian fans do best and unleashed hell (thanks, Rusty). They booed and jeered Nadal as he received medical attention. All the while an agitated Wawrinka demanded to be told the exact nature of the problem.
Even though the discomfort was clear, Nadal returned and played through. He even managed to pull the third set back, but it wouldn’t be enough to get him back in the match.
Wawrinka will now move from 28th to 3rd in the world (not a bad jump) and will become the Swiss No. 1 ahead of Roger Federer for the first time. His celebrations were restrained out of respect, but injuries aside he still managed to pull off one of the great upsets in Australian Open history. The No. 28 in the world beating both No. 1 and No. 2, Nadal and Djokovic, to come away with the title.
Nadal was classy in his own broken-English way.
“Is the Stan day, not my day … Is the moment to congratulate Stan. He’s playing unbelievable. He really deserved to win that title.”
Photo: Scott Barbour via Getty
Via News.com.au
