5 Intense Questions that Wimbledon 2015 will Answer

Jun 7, 2015; Paris, France; Stan Wawrinka (SUI) poses with the trophy after recording match point in his match against Novak Djokovic (SRB) on day 15 of the 2015 French Open at Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

4. Can Stan Wawrinka upset the odds once again – Emergence of BIG 5?

Stan Wawrinka enters Wimbledon 2015 as a multiple grand slam champion. Two years back, Wawrinka was more recognised as Federer’s Davis Cup team-mate, gold medal winner with Roger at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Swiss No.2. He was enormously talented but lacked the grace and poise that Roger had. Then he hired Swede Magnus Norman as his coach and rest as they say is history. Wawrinka is now a 2-time grand slam champion, an ATP 1000 Masters champion and a Davis Cup winner with Switzerland.

Having upset Novak Djokovic to win his second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, Swiss number two Stan Wawrinka will be out to improve his record at Wimbledon, where he has yet to reach the semi-finals.

Grass has proven to be Wawrinka’s worst surface over the years, with his run to the QF at the All England Club last year being his best performance at the tournament following years of underperformance at SW19.

His preparations for Wimbledon took a hit when he went down to eventual finalist Kevin Anderson at Queen’s last week, thus leaving him short of any match practice ahead of what is historically his worst Grand Slam tournament. The only major issue with Wawrinka is consistency day-in & day-out which he still lacks at the highest level.

With QF points to defend this year, Wawrinka risks dropping back out of the top four, but if he was able to win the French Open twelve months after crashing out in the first round, then there shouldn’t be any excuses for him not to at least reach the semi-finals at the All England Club for the first time or possibly even go further. Can Stan repeat his heroics from Paris 3 weeks ago??Is he now part of a “BIG 5”?

DRAWMETER – (16) David Goffin (4R), (7) Milos Raonic / (11) Grigor Dimitrov (QF), (1) Novak Djokovic / (5) Kei Nishikori (SF), (2) Roger Federer / (3) Andy Murray / (10) Rafael Nadal (Finals)

PREDICTION – RUNNER-UP (to lose to Murray in the championship match; expect Wawrinka to now settle down in majors and put up a strong performance at SW 19; perhaps get the better of Novak in the SF).

STATSMETER – Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

• Stan is 30-9 this season (winning in Chennai, Rotterdam & French Open). He enters Wimbledon as the new entrant to the multiple major club (Roger, Rafa, Novak, Andy & Hewitt). Also he has atleast made the QF of the last 4 grand slams (only Novak and Andy have achieved this).
• Grass is Wawrinka’s worst surface. He has a 22-21 (51%) win-loss ratio on the greens. His record at Wimbledon is 13-10 (57%); best result – QF (2014; lost to Federer).
• In 2013, Wawrinka began working with new coach Magnus Norman. The Swede has made Stan mentally stronger apart from being a beast already and guided him to his 1st major SF at the US Open 2013 after toiling through 34 majors (main draw) without making the last 4.
• Wawrinka has managed to exorcise his demons against the Big 3. He ended momentous losing streaks against Djokovic (2014 AO; 14 match losing streak) and Nadal (2014 AO; 12 match losing streak) beating the Spaniard for the first time in 13 matches (having never won a set against him in 12 attempts). He managed to also defeat good friend Federer in the finals of the 2014 Monte Carlo Masters ending his 11 match losing streak against the Swiss legend.
• With his victory over Roger in the QF of the French Open, Stan is also only one of 3 players to defeat the each of the Big 4 in majors (Tomas Berdych & Jo-Wilfried Tsonga being the others).

Next: Rafael Nadal