Monday, January 21, 2013
Teary Wawrinka gave everything in Djokovic defeat
By Simon Cambers
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A teary Stanislas Wawrinka was adamant there was nothing more he could have done to beat Novak Djokovic after going down to the defending champion in a late-night thriller at the Australian Open on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia (R) shakes hands with Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland after defeating him in their men's singles match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 21, 2013. REUTERS/Daniel MunozIn a fourth-round match that finished at 1.40am local time, the Swiss, who took an early 6-1, 5-2 lead and had chances to gain a break in the fifth set, was eventually beaten by the world number one 1-6 7-5 6-4 6-7 12-10 after five hours and two minutes.
"I think it's by far the best match I ever played, especially in five sets against the number one player," 15th-seed Wawrinka told reporters, wiping away tears.
"At the end I was really, really close, so for sure I'm really sad. But I think there is more positive than negative.
"At the end he was still there. He was playing great tennis. We were both tired, but I really fought like a dog."
Wawrinka had outplayed Djokovic for the first hour and in the deciding set had four break point chances at 4-4 but the Serb held on and finally clinched victory with a stunning backhand pass.
"For sure I was serving for the second set to be up two sets to love, but in five sets, five hours, you always have some opportunity to win a set or to win the match," Wawrinka said.
"If you don't take it, he's going to take it."
Despite the defeat, Wawrinka believed the way he had played against Djokovic could spur him on to bigger and better things.
"I think I can use it, I hope I will use it," he said. "I think it's important if I want to keep improving myself, my game, to try to come back closer to the top 10."
(Editing By Alison Wildey)
- Razif: Indiscipline the cause of senior players’ poor performances
- Spirited Malaysian team vow to deliver against Germans
- Cool V Shem believes he will be too hot for rivals to handle
- Malaysia have their work cut out in the World League
- Plenty for Hafizh as 55 is significant in his early racing career
- Yi Ting on a mission
- Former Asian phenom takes slow route to success
- Japan hope to reach their first semis in tourney
- Grace hammers home a point with two golds
- China crush arch rivals Indonesia
- Grace hammers home a point with two golds
- Rule makers to ban anchoring of putters from 2016
- McGinley raises Ryder Cup picks from two to three
- Governing bodies to prohibit anchoring of putters from 2016
- China crush arch rivals Indonesia
- China to host seventh edition of Royal Trophy
- Former Asian phenom takes slow route to success
- South Korean captures first US PGA title with a 69
- Spurs thump Grizzlies in series opener
- Uihlein rules at Madeira Open
RSS
