Come Monday morning, Stan Wawrinka’s ATP ranking will move up from No. 8 to No. 3 after defeating No. 1 ranked Rafael Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open on Sunday to win his first Grand Slam title. Wawrinka is the first man in the past 20 years of the tournament to beat the No. 2 (Novak Djokovic) and No. 1 on the way to victory title.
In what has been described as “the strangest, most awkward match you will ever see,” by Sports Illustrated, Wawrinka beat Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 after Nadal suffered a back injury early on in the first set. Fighting the pain, it appeared as if both Nadal and Wawrinka were affected by the injury as Wawrinka struggled to take advantage of Nadal’s injury eventually losing the third set before defeating Nadal in the fourth to end the match.
Becoming the second man since 2005 to win a Grand Slam outside of Nadal, Roger Federer, Djokovic, and Andy Murray, Wawrinka will also be ranked ahead of fellow Swiss, Federer, for the first time in his career with his career high ranking of No. 3 reported USA Today.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.