3 recent biggest upsets in a grand slam final

Over the past decade, the grand slams were usually dominated by the “big four” (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray). At least one or both players from the “big four” would usually contest the grand slam final. However, there have been instances when a player outside the top four managed to defy the odds and broke this ritual by not only making it to the final but also producing a vintage performance to win the final. Therefore, in this article, we look at the three recent biggest upsets in a grand slam final.

#3. Australian Open 2014 Final – Stanislas Wawrinka def. Rafael Nadal 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3

The 2014 Australian open final was contested between Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka and Spain’s Rafael Nadal. Wawarink seeded eight, defeated Novak Djokovic in a five set thriller in the quarter-final and Tomas Berdych in four sets in semi-final. Nadal was the number one seed, fended off a resilient Grigor Dimitrov in four sets in the quarter-final and trounced Federer in straight sets in the semi-final. Wawrinka had spent more time on court than Nadal to reach the final.

The first set in the final was all about Wawrinka. He was unplayable and winning points hand over fist. His backhand, forehand and serve had an adrenaline rush. The decisive moment in the first set came in the fourth game when Nadal mistimed two drop shots to give Wawrinka two break points and Swiss happily obliged by forcing an error from Nadal and taking a crucial break in the first set. However, Nadal had three consecutive break points at 0-40 when Wawrinka was served for the set at 5-3, but a series of unforced errors from Nadal saw the chances slip away and Wawrinka eventually went on to win first set 6-3.

The final was marred by Nadal's back injury

In the second set, Wawrinka broke Nadal in the opening game and held his serve to lead 2-0. It was at this stage, Nadal‘s body started to show signs of pain and distress. He slumped his back in pain and left the Rod Lever area to administer his back pain. The medical time-out apparently provoked the crowd in the Rod Lever arena as they welcomed back Nadal by booing him after a six-minute time-out.

From here on, it went all downhill for Nadal, he started to become less mobile on the court and his serving speed descended to 130/120 km/h. Wawrinka made the most of this opportunity and won the second set 6-2, sitting firmly in the driver’s seat.

The third set started on a vibrant note for Nadal. He was serving first in the opening game of the third set and was down 15-40, but a few unforced errors from Wawrinka enabled Nadal to save two break points and to hold his serve. In the following game, Nadal had a break point at 30-40, and another unforced error cost Wawrinka his service game and Nadal finally broke Wawrinka’s serve to get an important lead in the third set. It seemed like Nadal had slightly recovered from his back injury, as he was able to move a bit more freely and serving speed was touching 170 plus km/h. Rest of the third set remained on serve, with Nadal winning the set 6-3 and now the momentum was with Nadal.

In the fourth set, Nadal continued to show signs of pain and anguish and Wawrinka showed signs of urgency to finish the match. Wawrinka‘s first serve was working like a dream, clocking 200 plus km/pr. Nadal’s back injury wasn’t letting him play his natural game. At 3-2, in the fourth set, Wawrinka broke Nadal’s serve to get a 4-2 lead. But over-excitement and nervousness, saw Wawrinka make a couple of unforced errors to give the break back to Nadal, it was now back on serve 4-3. However, Nadal’s back was not with him, Wawrinka broke Nadal again to get a 5-3 lead and served comfortably to win the fourth set 6-3 and was the newly crowned Australian Open champion. Given the circumstances, this cannot entirely be called an upset. But, note that Wawrinka is the first and the only player till date to have beaten Nadal and Djokovic in the same grand slam; hence he deserved to be the 2014 Australian Open champion.

#2- French Open 2015 final- Stanislas Wawrinka def. Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

Stan finally broke Djokovic’s grand slam monopoly and denied him a career and calendar grand slam

Novak was the number one seed and defeated the king of clay Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the quarter-final and Andy Murray in five sets in the semi-final. Wawrinka was seeded eighth and defeated Roger Federer in straight sets in the quarter-final and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets in the semi-final.

Having sent Nadal packing in straight sets, Djokovic was the clear favourite to win the final. However, Stan Wawrinka had some nefarious intentions. The match started off in a dramatic fashion, the opening game saw a splendid 39 shot rally which Wawrinka won. From then on, this match was going be a battle of perseverance, endurance and willpower.

The first break of serve in came at 3-3 when Djokovic broke Wawrinka’s serve to love to get a 4-3 lead and consolidated it by holding his serve to make 5-3 in the first set. Djokovic would serve for the set at 5-4, and had two sets points, but two back to back winners from Wawrinka brought the game back to deuce. However, Djokovic successfully negotiated the momentary fight back from Wawrinka and won the first set 6-4.

It's all about the mental game and composure which Wawrinka oozes

The early indications in the second set were looking ominous for Djokovic. Wawrinka took his game to another level. His forehand, backhand and serve were firing on all cylinders. He was troubling Djokovic on his service games. Djokovic saved two break points at 2-1, saved another break point at 3-2. Wawrinka was winning his service games easily and without much trouble. Djokovic again struggled on his service game at 4-3; Wawrinka was getting closer and closer to breaking Djokovic's serve. And that happened in the tenth game of the second set at 5-4 on Djokovic’s serve. Wawrinka was down 30-0, but then battered a couple of backhand and forehand winners to earn a set point. After playing another long rally, Djokovic sent the ball long and handed the set to Wawrinka.

The third set started the same way as the second. Wawrinka was winning his service games effortlessly and Djokovic, on his service games started to look tense and dazed. At 3-2 in the third set, things about got tragic for Djokovic on his serve. Wawrinka hit three amazing winners to break Djokovic’s serve to lead 4-2. At this point, Wawrinka had already hit 20 forehand winners compare Djokovic’s 3. Wawrinka went on to win the set 6-3. Such kind of shot-making against Djokovic by a player outside top 4 was highly unprecedented in a grand slam final.

This amazing backhand winner between the net-post and IBM box left Djokovic flabbergasted

Djokovic started the fourth set with vigour and immediately broke Wawrinka’s serve to led 2-0 and held his serve to lead 3-0. But Wawrinka was relentless and broke Djokovic’s serve again to make the score 3-2 and held his serve to make it 3-3 in the fourth set. Djokovic was leading 4-3 and had three consecutive break points to break Wawrinka‘s serve. However, Wawrinka's myriad of backhand and forehand winners were in full flow. He saved the first two break points with forehand and backhand winner and followed it up with an ace and held serve to make it 4-4 in the fourth set. Djokovic demeanour was almost clamouring and frantic.

It was at this stage Wawrinka's backhand was at its best. He hit two wonderful backhand winners to earn a break point, Djokovic saved the first break point to make it 40-40 but on the second break point, Wawrinka hammered a vicious backhand that nipped the line and finally got the break of serve. Wawrinka served for the championship at 5-4 in the fourth set, it was 40-40, and Djokovic earned a break point. But a forehand error from Djokovic brought the game back to deuce and Wawrinka had championship point on his own serve, and he invariably hit another on-the-line backhand winner to jolt Djokovic to win the French Open and turn the tennis world upside-down.

#1- US Open 2009 final – Juan Martín del Potro def. Roger Federer 3–6, 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–2

Federer should have buried this match in straight sets

Federer was the number one seed and defeated Robin Söderling in four sets in the quarter-final and Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semi-final. Del Potro was seeded sixth and defeated Marin Čilić in four sets in the quarter-final and Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the semi-final.

Federer was unstoppable in the first set. He broke Del Potro in the second game of the first set with an amazing inside-in forehand winner and consolidated by holding his serve to take a 3-0 lead. Federer would go on to win the opening set 6-3.

In the second set, Del Potro double-faulted on break point to allow Federer to get the break of serve in the opening game. The set then remained on serve until Federer served for the set at 5-4. It was 30-30 and Del Potro’s chance to win US open was on a knife-edge as Federer was just two points away from a two-set lead. At 30-30, Del Potro was too far behind the baseline, and with Federer approaching the net, Del Potro hit an inside-out forehand winner that was called out by the umpire.

But, it was at this stage, that technology would prove to be a knight in shining armour for Del Potro, as he was quick to challenge the call and the replay showed that the ball had just barely caressed the line and all of sudden Del Potro had a break point and he broke Federer's serve to make it 5-5 with carbon copy of the same shot, but this time the ball was well inside the line. Federer’s approach to venture the net was badly misfiring as it enabled Del Potro to take risky chances that paid off. Del Potro would go to win the second set 7-6(7-5) in a tie-breaker.

Del Potro started to find his rhythm in the latter half of the second set

In the third set, both players exchanged break of serves in the seventh and eighth game of the set. However, Del Potro continued to punish Federer when he approached the net with some astonishing winners. Del Potro was serving at 4-5 (30-40) in the third set, which meant that Federer had a set point on Del Potro ‘s serve. Unnerved by the situation Del Potro double-faulted to lose and gift Federer the third set.

In the fourth set, Federer had two break points early on at 1-0 in the fourth set. It looked like Del Potro was starring down the barrel, but it was this juncture Del Potro handled the situation with remarkable sang-froid. With his impressive dexterity, he saved both the breakpoints with two consecutive forehand winners. Del Potro saved another break-point at 2-1 with a forehand passing shot. At 2-2, Del Potro had three-point break-points with a chance to get a critical break of serve in the fourth set and he did after Federer sent his forehand wide. But, Federer would break Del Potro back in the eighth game to make 4-4, and the set went to a tie-breaker. Del Potro took control of the tie-break and rose to a 3-0 lead. He had 2 set points at 6-4 when Federer uncharacteristically sent his forehand too long which made it two sets all.

Can Del Potro take inspiration from 2009 final and upset another big name come Sunday at the US Open final?

In the fifth set, Del Potro led 1-0 and had a break point at 30-40. Federer committed the same cardinal sin of approaching the net prematurely and Del Potro made him pay dearly by firing a forehand winner and got an important break of serve to lead 2-0. After that, Federer was in a state of consternation and couldn’t seem to find a way to get back in the match. Del Potro had a championship point at 5-2 and converted it after Federer sent his backhand long behind the baseline. Del Potro couldn’t control his emotions as he won his first grand slam at age of twenty and in the process is the only player outside top 5 in history to beat both Federer and Nadal in the same grand slam.

But, in the overall scheme of things, this was one match Federer should have won in straight or four sets, had he just been a little more cautious with his approach and tactics at critical junctures in the match, especially when he was serving for the second set at 5-4 and when he had multiple break point opportunities in the fourth set. And Federer’s inveterate unforced errors too didn’t help his cause.