The numbers were few when it came to those lucky enough to win Grand Slams in the era of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. When the two legends were at the heights of their power, beating them in a Grand Slam final happened all too rarely, and tennis was all the better for it.
Federer and Nadal dominated everywhere, and for over a decade, they were virtually unbeatable. Virtually, being the keyword, because now and then, someone like Juan Martín del Potro would sneak through the cracks in a major and defeat Federer in five sets to capture the US Open in 2009.
The Argentine native was not the only player to beat either legend at a Grand Slam, but Federer's countryman, Stan Wawrinka, can also hang his hat on beating Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open. That first major win was the first of Wawrinka's majors, and as he embarks on his final season on the ATP Tour, he's not done trying to knock off the big guys, either.
Stan Wawrinka will walk away as one of the only players to steal Grand Slams away from the legends
Defeating Nadal was not Wawrinka's only Grand Slam. In fact, he would go on to beat the third head of what would eventually become the Big 3 in men's tennis, Novak Djokovic. Twice, he beat The Joker — at the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016. Wawrinka was the only player to defeat any of Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic in a Grand Slam final more than once collectively.
Of course, Wawrinka never did get a chance to beat his friend and country rival Federer in a major final, but he did beat Federer in the 2014 Roland Garros quarterfinals, which eventually led to his first major.
Of the handful of top-ranked players who played in the age of Federer and Nadal (and eventually Djokovic), Wawrinka left that era with the most Grand Slam success over anyone else, next to Andy Murray.
You could argue that, outside Murray, in that era of tennis, Wawrinka was the next-best player outside of the Big 3. His four Grand Slam appearances and three wins are evidence of that.
Some will say Murray, and there's nothing to argue there, for he had three majors himself. Wawrinka was a legend in his own right, though, and he deserves every bit of recognition on his farewell tour that each city, country, and ATP event will give him.
But Wawrinka isn't interested in just playing out his final year for the sake of playing tennis; he still wants to win and beat the best along the way.
"I'm still passionate about the game and the sport I love. The emotion of playing in a different country, like coming back here to Australia, where I have a lot of fans and support, I'm going to miss that part, that's for sure," Wawrinka said per tennisworldusa.com.
"The last one is not going to be easy this year, that's for sure, but I'm looking forward. I'm still playing some good tennis, so hopefully I can have notable results in 2026 and finish on a high note. I want to finish my career on a good level and still be able to play those top guys and see where I stand," he added.
You have to credit Wawrinka for still giving it his all at 41. That's how you know someone loves the sport of tennis for exactly what it is. He doesn't need to prove anything; he's got his accolades. Wawarink simply wants to play tennis, and it should be a pleasure to watch him go out on his own terms.