Stan Wawrinka joined the elite band of players who have won more than one Grand Slam title in Paris on Sunday, but he still believes he does not belong in the current top bracket.
That is the reserve of the so-called “Big Four” of men`s tennis comprising Roger Federer (17 Grand Slam titles, Rafael Nadal (14), Novak Djokovic (8) and Andy Murray (2), he said after defeating Djokovic in four sets in a superb French Open final.
It was his second Grand Slam title after last year`s Australian Open breakthrough win and at 30-years-old he is clearly playing the best tennis of his life.
Still, he sees no reason to start talking about the “Big Five.”
“I`m not as good as they are.?I mean the Big Four. But I`m quite good enough to win two Grand Slam tournaments,” Wawrinka said.
“I can beat them in major tournaments, in a semi-final, in a final. But once again, the “Big Four” will always be the “Big Four.”
“I don`t want to be in comparison with them. I want to make progress and strides. I want to beat them. That`s all. It is as simple as that.”
Progress and strides, the Lausanne-based player certainly has made over the last few years from being a reasonably good journeyman, hidden in the giant shadow of legendary countryman Roger Federer, to a two-time Grand Slam champion.
