Stan the Man: Wawrinka wins French Open, denies Djokovic career Grand Slam

Djokovic 6 4 3 4
Wawrinka 4 6 6 6

Sunday was a foregone conclusion: we were to witness history. Novak Djokovic, after defeating nine-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals, and Andy Murray in the semifinals, was going to beat Stan Wawrinka - as he'd done 17 out of 20 times before - to win the French Open and, at 28, complete his career Grand Slam. But Wawrinka had other plans.

In a matter of hours Sunday, the Big Four became the Big Five, thanks to the Swiss heavy hitter.

"I played the match of my life," Wawrinka said. And did he ever.

After dropping the first set 6-4, Wawrinka didn't panic, sticking to his game, pounding Djokovic from the baseline, and using his throwback one-handed backhand to force the game on the Serb. Wawrinka didn't play scared; he did the opposite. With nothing to lose, he went for winners - often, it seemed, with his backhand - and landed them, finishing with 59 to Djokovic's 30.

If one shot encapsulates how well Wawrinka played Sunday, it's this one, a remarkable backhand winner that somehow went around the net:

Wawrinka, in the end, hit 11 winners with his backhand, but seven of them came in the fourth and decisive set.

"I was really nervous but I didn't choke," Wawrinka said. "I just went for my shots. I'm so happy with the trophy."

The 30-year-old added that he wasn't nervous until "15 minutes before we went on court. And I thought, 'What the f--k is happening?'"

Wawrinka will be ranked fourth in the world when the ATP World Rankings are released Monday, and he belongs in the Big Four conversation, arguably more so than Murray. Wawrinka's won as many slams - two - as Djokovic since the start of 2014, one more than Nadal, and two more than Roger Federer.

Wawrinka knocked off the top two seeds in the world and at the French Open on his way to the title, losing only a set. Stan's the man, and not only because he's among the hardest-hitters on tour.

Third Time Unlucky

This loss will haunt Djokovic. It has to: his career Grand Slam was in sight, so close he could touch it, against an opponent he'd historically dominated. But it was all Wawrinka after the first set, and after the match, Djokovic admitted as much.

"I lost to a better player who played some courageous tennis and deserved to win," Djokovic said in his post-match presser. "He played some good, tactical tennis. All I can say is well deserved. He deserves it."

Novak was entirely graceful in defeat.

"There are more important things in life - personality and respect," Djokovic added in his speech after the match, looking at Wawrinka. "I have a big respect for you. You are a great champion with a big heart. You deserve that title."

Djokovic's first serve let him down Sunday. After landing 78 percent of his first serves in the first set, Djokovic faltered the rest of the match, his percentages - 61 percent in the second set, 62 percent in the third set, and 59 percent in the fourth set - dwarfed by Wawrinka's.

While Wawrinka's service games were often short, in-control affairs, Djokovic's were the opposite - long, drawn-out games of long, punishing rallies. Djokovic kept Wawrinka at bay in the second set, with the Swiss converting only one of four break-point attempts - but, to use a boxing analogy, Djokovic was nearing the ropes, on the defensive.

Wawrinka had a 31-13 winners advantage in sets two and three combined. It was clear heading into the fourth set that if Djokovic was going to make history, he would have to dig deep - arguably deeper than he'd dug before, at least at this year's tournament.

But it was Wawrinka who found another level. Down 3-0 in the fourth set, with a fifth appearing likely, he broke Djokovic to trail 3-2, and saved three break points to hold at 4-4. He then broke Djokovic to make it 5-4, the winning point a wicked backhand down the line as Djokovic approached the net. We knew, then: the career Grand Slam would have to wait.

The defeat is Djokovic's third in the French Open final - another underdog Swiss winning when Nadal doesn't.

Djokovic was on the receiving end of a very lengthy standing ovation from the Roland Garros crowd after receiving his runner-up plate. He got emotional. While Djokovic didn't choke - Wawrinka played too well to say Djokovic choked - the pressure of his quest was evident. Winning a career Grand Slam is incredibly difficult; it may never be done again. That Djokovic made it look like it was going to be so easy, a formality, was a reminder of the incredible tennis he's played in 2015, and a reminder that nothing's guaranteed in life - not in sports, and especially not in tennis.

"I tried my best," Djokovic said. "It wasn't to be."

'Fail Better'

Wawrinka has a tattoo on the inside of his left arm, the words of poet Samuel Beckett:

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

Wawrinka went into Sunday's match a massive underdog, having lost 15 of 16 matches to Djokovic in the past seven years. He didn't have a chance.

No matter. He tried again. And he won. In dominating, convincing fashion. And he's now in the conversation as one of the best in the men's game.

We learned a valuable lesson Sunday in Paris: Stan Wawrinka belongs.

Live Blog

Relive the action as we saw it by reading our live updates below. All entries posted in Eastern time.

12:25 p.m.: It's over. Stan Wawrinka has done the impossible, upsetting Novak Djokovic - whose career Grand Slam will have to wait - in four sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4) to win the French Open, earning the second Grand Slam title of his career.

Full match recap to come.

12:17 p.m.: Stan Wawrinka's backhand, my God. The Swiss breaks Djokovic to go up 5-4, a backhand winner - his 58th - screaming down the line as Novak came to the net. Wawrinka will serve for the French Open title.

12:12 p.m.: Wawrinka's turn. Down love-40 in his service game, he records a huge hold of his own, saving three break points. It's 4-4 in the fourth set. What a match. Djokovic's 2-for-9 on break-point conversions, Wawrinka 3-for-13.

12:06 p.m.: Serving at 3-3, Djokovic saves another two break points to hold at 4-3. On sending the game to deuce after being down 15-40, Novak let out a primal scream, paired with a fist pump. Massive, monumental hold.

11:55 a.m.: Wawrinka will not be denied. He breaks back in the fifth game, on an incredible rally to earn the break point, and is back on serve down 3-2. Incredibly inspiring tennis from the Swiss.

11:51 a.m.: Holds traded. It's 3-1 Djokovic in the fourth set.

11:42 a.m.: Djokovic opens the fourth set by breaking Wawrinka for the first time since the first set. He's up 2-0, and will not go down without a fight.

11:41 a.m.: Should Wawrinka win this match, he'll have as many Grand Slam titles as Andy Murray. Yeah.

11:33 a.m.: Sunday was supposed to be about Novak Djokovic. Stan Wawrinka has other plans. Wawrinka takes the third set 6-3, leads 2-1, and is a set away from his second Grand Slam title. Incredible. Third set stats:

11:31 a.m.: Holds are traded, and Wawrinka's up 5-3, serving for the second set. The Swiss has hit 41 winners to Djokovic's 20.

11:19 a.m.: Stanimal! Wawrinka's up 4-2 in the third set, breaking Djokovic, and he's taking control of this match. What a performance by Wawrinka, who's playing like he's got absolutely nothing to lose. Remember: The last two times these guys met in a Grand Slam, the match went the five-set distance.

11:05 a.m.: More of the same to open the third set. We're on serve, and Djokovic fought off another three break-point opportunities for Wawrinka. It's 1-1. Keep in mind, this is nothing new for Wawrinka, who was 3-for-15 on break points against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinals. How long can Djokovic keep this up?

10:50 a.m.: We've got ourselves a match. Wawrinka finally got the break when it mattered, and he takes the second set 6-4. Incredible tennis from the Swiss, who is sticking to his game. It's the first time in the 2015 tourney Djokovic hasn't won the opening two sets.

Second set stats, as Wawrinka forced the issue, unleashing winner after winner:

10:40 a.m.: Another Djokovic service game goes to deuce, the third in a row, and Wawrinka again comes up short. Remarkable holds. Wawrinka's 0-for-4 on break points in the second set, and he slammed his racket on top of the net twice in frustration after Djokovic held to make it 4-4.

10:27 a.m.: Wawrinka pushed Djokovic to deuce again, but Novak somehow holds on to stay on serve. It's 3-3. The Serb's a magician out there, and Wawrinka's now 0-for-3 on break points.

10:16 a.m.: It's 2-2, as Wawrinka had Djokovic on the ropes during Novak's service game, but couldn't come through. Wawrinka's now 0-for-2 on break-point opportunities, and it's 2-2 in the second set. You don't get too many chances against Djokovic ...

10:08 a.m.: We're on serve in the second set, and settling in. It's 2-1 Wawrinka.

9:56 a.m.: Wawrinka fought back from down 15-40 to push the game to deuce, but Djokovic holds and takes the first set 6-4 in 43 minutes. He's two sets away from history.

9:47 a.m.: Wawrinka holds, trails 5-4, and Djokovic will serve for the first set.

9:44 a.m.: Djokovic holds, and is a game away from taking the first set; 5-3.

9:40 a.m.: There it is: Djokovic earns the first break, Wawrinka double-faulting down love-40, and it's 4-3 Novak.

9:34 a.m.: We remain on serve, as Wawrinka holds to make it 3-2, Djokovic unable to capitalize on his first break-point opportunities. High-level of tennis early, as both players are trading blows from the baseline. They don't hit a tennis ball much harder than the "Stanimal," who isn't intimidated by Djokovic - or his head-to-head history with the Serb - and who looks calm, collected, and in control.

9:23 a.m.: We're on serve, it's 2-1 Wawrinka.

9:18 a.m.: Wawrinka holds to start the match, the first game punctuated by a brilliant 39-shot rally at deuce. Stan put the game away with a devastating forehand that Djokovic couldn't get to. If game one's any indication, it's going to be a brilliant - and very, very long - day of tennis.

9:12 a.m. ET: Wawrinka serves to open the match, and we're underway. Allons-y! (A reminder, below, the company Djokovic will keep should he win Sunday.)