US Open 2013: Staninslas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet – Restoring the romance of sport

Stanislas Wawrinka

Exactly 2 months back to this day, Andy Murray had lifted the Wimbledon crown after an incredible performance against arguably the best player on the planet at the moment. But last night, we watched this young champion turn restless and distraught, we saw the cruelty of fate. It was the sight of a dejected defending champion walking off the Arthur Ashe arena dismantled in straight sets by a surging Swiss warrior (yes, the long unseen shadow to a legendary Swiss icon came to light) that captured the indifference of fate.

Indeed, Stan the man, has had his most successful year till date. With a title under his belt, He has season stats of 36 wins and15 losses,a ratio that averages 2.4 against his career ratio of 1.4! Perhaps it’s the confidence riding on the stunning marathon fight meted unto Djokovic at the year’s first grand slam. The anticipatory excitement is already palpable in the crowd that awaits this big date of vengeance.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, the determined fighter in Ferrer was subdued by a coming-of-age, living-up-to-his-promise artistic Frenchman – Richard Gasquet.

With Del Potro’s promise crushed early by an ageless warrior’s insatiable appetite, Federer ousted at the hands of the unexpected Spaniard, Ferrer slayed in his own attitude, the big Berd caged and Murray denied a further role in the fortnight – both by Stan, we are in for a surprising semi-final line-up.

Surprising, more for the nature of its contestants.

While two of the players, both the underrated ones are elegant with artistic single-handed back-hands who mix their game and match aggression with adolescent audacity, the other two are thankfully, the last hopeful top-two ranked legends who’ve lived up to their reputation. And both in contrary to the fresh blood are masterly mature doyens content and ably successful in destroying opponents merely with defence.

I would love to recheck the odds on these two (if at all, any even) predicted early on regarding the presence of Stan and Gasquet in the SF line-up. So, what does this result profess?

Apparently we didn’t see change coming and were more than stuck with an era’s attitude that saw no need to entertain the idea of a surprise in sport. It was too normal to court inertia in expectation and deny the freedom of hope banking our results on rating and victory on veracity. It might even be too soon to sign off the old guard, and turn disloyal to the genius turning into their autumn. But with a host of young brash blood, agile and alert, gaining confidence through every failure or success, the truth shines that the unpredictable spirit of sport – especially men’s tennis is on the revival!

The success story of these two unexpected heroes is not the fairy-tale grace of an overnight miracle. It’s been a hard and patient wait to the present hour of celebration. They have stood low yet consistent through the last couple of years, battling with passion, confronting the mediocrity of their success with a serenity, trusting the tide of change and hope.

Also more importantly, talking as a spectator, they also affirm the claim that an aesthetic style in this sport is still not a liability. The way Stan especially dismantled Murray with clinical mesmerizing backhands restored the explosive efficacy of this elegant art.

Right away, it might be an audacious hope to expect a final of the two single-handed back-hands given that they will face off the two best men on planet tomorrow. But then if the saga of their endurance is any indication, it’s that no one can ever be written off. For, ‘that’s sport and Life!’