Is There Still Room For Stan At The Top?

With the Big Four all in action again soon and the NextGen guys snapping at their heels, is there still space for Mr Wawrinka?

It’s a relevant question at a time like this, to ask if Stan Wawrinka has what it takes to reassert himself in the Grand Slam game. 2017 is the first year in which he hasn’t collected a slam since 2013 - before he had won his first. He has proven it wasn’t a fluke over the past few years, and some. When in form, when he hits that groove he is unbeatable. Well, unless he meets Rafael Nadal on clay as he did at Roland Garros this past spring. Rafa was never going to miss the chance to get the Coupe des Mousquetaires in his teeth again.

So, after an absence through injury (much like Murray, Djokovic and others) what chance does Stan have of returning to the game and having Grand Slam success again? Certain things have happened in his absence – not least the taking of his place amongst the world’s best of Alexander Zverev. Add to that the arrivals of other NextGen players Andrey Rublev and Denis Shapovalov, also chomping at the bit. Hyeon Chung, in winning the NextGen finals, has also announced his presence on the scene. Juan Martin del Potro has deservedly soared up the rankings and now stands on the verge of the top ten again. Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin have played their finest tennis thus far in their careers, climbing to lofty heights in the rankings (three and seven respectively). Plenty more has taken place too, as the rankings are a constant symbol of moving and shaking.

More than anyone else, Stan Wawrinka is one of those players that hasn’t seemed to put pressure on himself. He had a coach, in Magnus Norman, who got the best out of him. That union coming to an end recently may provide the biggest uncertainty to his on-court career going forwards. Wawrinka has a beautiful and powerful game at his very best and is a joy to watch. The lack of pressure he places on his own shoulders means that when he finds that groove of form he becomes very hard to topple. He himself knows in such form it would be hard to defeat him over five sets and his play demonstrates just that, whether he plays one of the big four or someone else. It’s one of the keys to his success. He doesn’t expect to find that form at every event, not even every slam, he expects to take advantage when it does happen, when he slips into his comfort zone and starts making other brilliant players look average.

He is a little older now too, and will turn 33 this coming March. Should he remain fit he can be a threat to anyone. His best years of tennis have been the last four. He has aged well and grown into his role as one of the finest players on earth, at the same time as the big four have won most of the other Slams. There are players that can beat him, yes, but he will not fear them, and should he stumble upon some great tennis, after a substantial lay off, he will know he can be a danger to the rest of the draw at any event (perhaps not on grass).

The ATP rankings have changed a little in his absence. The arrival of some big new players, young ones indeed, and of other more experienced players taking advantage of the injuries of some big players, means there is a little more competition going into the start of the 2018 season. The exciting element is that it’s hard to pick a winner for the first slam of the year in Melbourne, Australia. Federer’s name may lead the way, but if early form upon returning from injury can be found by a number of players then there are multiple names to be mentioned around who could win the next Grand Slam title. Wawrinka, surely, is worth more than just a mention. After all, he won his first Grand Slam there, almost four years ago, and it will have a special place in his heart. Also, he will return with low expectations, swinging away, and that is often when he is at his most dangerous. If he finds that groove, the rest of the field could be in trouble. He is a name that Roger, Rafa et al will fear in the draw. There’s still room for him at the top, and he is more than capable. 2018 is going to be a fascinating story to watch unfold.

 First published on tennisworldusa.org