World number three Stanislas Wawrinka is still a favorite topic of discussion at this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships despite his absence at this ATP 500 event. His stunning run in last month’s Australian Open title in Melbourne for his maiden Grand Slam title has brought interest in the tennis community and to those players who are not part of the Big Four of tennis such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
“He has given hope to the tennis world,” Juan Martin del Potro said this week.
Del Potro also grabbed tennis headlines back at the US Open 2009 when he defeated Nadal and Federer to win his lone Grand Slam title to date.
“It’s nice to see other names winning the grand slams for the tennis world and the tennis people, and not the same guys as always,” Del Potro said.
“Djokovic, Federer and Nadal deserve to win, but if you have different players winning the grand slams, it’s more important for tennis.
“After Wawrinka won the Australian Open, the rest of the players now believe more than in the past, and we just have to wait for our moment, like I did in 2009 when I played in the US Open.”
Wawrinka has taken part in 35 Grand Slams and his best performance in Majors was a 2013 US Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic. He’s improved that finish with a Slam title win in Melbourne last month.
Tomas Berdych, ranked number six reached the final of the Wimbledon tournament back in 2010 and the Czech star said that Wawrinka’s win has inspired him to push for a Grand Slam title win of his own.
“It’s a good sign that Stan did it,” Berdych said. “He just proved that it’s possible. Yes, it’s very tough, very difficult, but in the end, it’s possible. It shows other people they can do it as well. So let’s see and let’s wait till the next slam.”
