“Life is a big lesson, it’s a big book. We keep writing the stories and there is another story to be written,” Novak Djokovic said after losing the final of the US Open to Stan Wawrinka on Sunday. “I wish that it was a bit different, but again, I think we learn much more from the losses like this than we do from wins.

“The way I see things is that whether or not you win or lose, at the end of the day you have to be very respectful towards the opponent, towards the sport, towards the occasion, to those people who come to see you.”

A sixth US Open final in seven years may not have fallen the way of the defending champion, but defeat does not overshadow another already extraordinary season for the 29-year-old Serbian.

Bidding for his third major tournament title this season after completing the non-calendar year Grand Slam at Roland Garros, Djokovic, who struggled with a left wrist injury earlier in the North American hard-court swing, arrived in New York under a cloud of uncertainty as to whether he would even contest his 12th US Open. He would ultimately come up short against Wawrinka 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in the final. It was a run deeper than even he expected.

“It’s never easy to lose Grand Slam finals, big matches, playing four hours,” Djokovic said. “Of course everybody wants to be victorious, but at the end of the day, sometimes you win, you lose, and you’ve got to accept it and let it go. From a larger perspective, I’ll take it because I was really in doubt whether or not I was going to come here up to really the last day.

“I struggled the first couple of days with practice and the first match and so forth, and then to get the finals, I mean, it’s a big result. I’ve set up a high standard for myself with the great results I have had in the last couple of years. I’m really successful and I’m grateful for that.

“Of course everybody is playing the sport because they want success in life. What defines success is different for each one of us. For me, success is not just winning tennis matches and winning trophies. It’s more than that,” Djokovic said. “I guess my main source of playing tennis, my main source of motivation for playing the sport, is because I really like it.”

Despite the setback, Djokovic will retain the top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings. However, he will need to quickly refocus, as he will be defending four titles at upcoming tournaments. In 2015, he won the China Open, the Shanghai Rolex Masters and the BNP Paribas Masters before ending the season on a high by capturing the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for the fourth consecutive year.

Stan Wawrinka outhit the best baseliner in the game to capture the 2016 US Open singles title in New York Sunday evening.

Wawrinka backed himself from the back of the court to defeat Novak Djokovic 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3, crushing 17 forehand and 14 backhand winners along the way to capture Grand Slam silverware for the third time in his career.

Coming into the final, Wawrinka actually had a losing record from the baseline, only winning 48 per cent (401/835), while Djokovic was flying high as a tournament leader in this critical category, winning 58 per cent (240/413).

But in the physical final, the Swiss turned Djokovic’s vaunted baseline game into a losing proposition, lowering its success rate by 10 percentage points to a lowly 46.8 per cent. Wawrinka stayed right around his average, winning 47.8 per cent from the back of the court.

To achieve the unlikely advantage from the trenches, Wawrinka had to run more, but that was a small price to pay to ultimately hold the coveted US Open trophy.

Wawrinka ran 4339 metres in the four sets, while Djokovic was only at 4067 metres. Wawrinka averaged running 15.17 metres per point, while Djokovic was slightly lower at 14.22 metres.

It took Wawrinka a while to figure out the best way to attack Djokovic in the constant baseline battles. The Swiss started Set 1 with very deep court position, which didn’t allow him to make Djokovic uncomfortable as his ball landed short, allowing Djokovic to consistently play off the front foot.

Wawrinka only won 35 per cent (16/46) of his baseline points in the opening set, but that improved to 53 per cent (20/38) in Set 2, 51 per cent in Set 3, and a very healthy 54 per cent (20/37) in the fourth and final set.

Wawrinka wore down Djokovic in the longer rallies of 9+ shots in the first three sets, winning them 28-19. This created doubt in Djokovic’s mind that he could go toe-to-toe with the Swiss as the end of the match rushed fast at both players.

In the deciding fourth set, Wawrinka upped the ante in the shorter rallies, winning the 0-4 rally length 18-13, and the 5-8 shot rally length 12-7. It was a masterful strategic adjustment to put Djokovic away earlier in the point before he could find a way back from a two sets to one deficit.

Serve Patterns

Wawrinka served considerably better in the Ad court throughout the match, making 65 per cent (39/52) of his first serves there, compared to only 48 per cent (26/40) in the Deuce court. In keeping with form, he won 75 per cent of his first serve points in the Ad, and only 65 per cent in the Deuce.

Things flipped with second serve performance, as the Swiss won 57 per cent of his second serve points in the Deuce court, and only 43 per cent in the Ad court.

Break Points

Wawrinka saved a critical 14/17 break points for the match, including coming back from 0-40 leading 3-1 in the second set. He also saved three break points in the opening game of the third set. In the fourth set, with Djokovic threatening a comeback from a 3-1 hole, Wawrinka again saved three break points to hold serve.

On break point, Wawrinka made 10-17 first serves, and saved 5/7 behind his second serve.

Summary

Wawrinka’s comeback victory showed tremendous belief to execute a physically demanding strategy, going head on with Djokovic’s favorite baseline game style. The net was a distant secondary tactic for Wawrinka, only winning 11 points on 20 forays forward.

At the end of the night, Wawrinka won just one more point (144-143) than Djokovic, but he ultimately owned the baseline, stood tall on break points, and kept his head clear when a raucous New York crowd primarily showed their support for the World No. 1.

Beating an opponent on the world’s biggest stage at what they do best takes guts, conviction and outstanding execution over almost four hours of tennis. Wawrinka walked into the lions’ den and not only survived, but stole the show.

Three Grand Slam finals. Three Grand Slam titles. Stan Wawrinka etched his name in the record books with his first US Open crown, stopping top seed and two-time champion Novak Djokovic 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday.

Wawrinka has risen to the occasion in big matches in recent years, moving to 3-0 in major finals and extending his staggering win streak in tour-level finals to 11 straight. All three Grand Slam title runs have included wins over the World No. 1 in the final, having previously defeated Rafael Nadal for the 2014 Australian Open crown and Djokovic in the Roland Garros final last year.

“This is amazing,” said Wawrinka during the trophy presentation. “I came here without expecting to win it. When I stepped on the court, I tried to win every match. I did everything today against Novak. The crowd and atmosphere was something I’ve never had before. It’s an amazing night.”

With the win, Wawrinka secured qualification for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, joining Djokovic and Andy Murray at The O2 in London. He will be making his fourth consecutive appearance at the season finale, having reached the semi-finals in each of the past three years. Buy Tickets

Wawrinka, who fired 46 winners, including three aces, while saving an impressive 14 of 17 break points, prevailed after three hours and 55 minutes. After Djokovic took the first set in a tie-break, the Swiss showed his true mettle, breaking the defending champion early in the second, third and fourth sets. His steely resolve was on full display as he maintained his composure throughout the encounter, eventually triumphing on his second match point. Wawrinka is now 15-6 at the US Open when dropping the opening set.

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“Today I was trying to stay with him,” Wawrinka told the assembled media following the match. “I was trying to be tough with myself, trying not to show anything, not to show any pain, not to show any cramps, not to show anything. I was suffering on the court, but I’m happy and proud with what I have achieved today.

“There is no secret. If you want to beat the No. 1 player in the world, you have to give everything. You have to accept to suffer and you have almost to enjoy to suffer. Because I think this Grand Slam was the most painful, physically and mentally that I ever played.”

Won First Three Major Finals (Open Era)

Wawrinka became the fifth man in the Open Era to win multiple major singles crowns after turning 30, joining Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors. The 31-year-old is the oldest Grand Slam champion since Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open and also became the first man to win his first three majors at different events since Agassi.

Moreover, Wawrinka is the first US Open champion to save a match point en route to the title since Djokovic in 2011. He turned aside one against Daniel Evans in a five-set third round victory. 

Djokovic was bidding for his third US Open title and 13th at the major level. The Serbian’s 21st Grand Slam final is second-most in history, only behind Roger Federer (27). He still owns a sizeable 19-5 lead in their growing FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry.

“He definitely deserves to be mentioned in the mix of top players,” Djokovic said about Wawrinka. “He’s been around for so many years and he plays best in the big matches.

“I lost my nerves in the important moments. He kept his cool. I think that’s what decided the match. I just didn’t capitalise at all on my opportunities. I had plenty of them. It was a terrible conversion of the break points. Just terrible from my side.

“In matches like these, if you don’t use the opportunities, the other guy comes and takes it. And that’s what he did. That’s why I said he was more courageous, because he stepped in and played aggressive where I was waiting for things to happen.”

The US Open title is up for grabs as top seed and two-time champion Novak Djokovic is battling third seed and two-time major winner Stan Wawrinka. The Serbian took the first set 7-6(1) and the Swiss pulled level with a 6-4 second.

Djokovic is appearing in his 21st Grand Slam final, passing Rafael Nadal for solo second place on the Open Era list. He is vying for a 13th title, which would put him one behind Nadal and Pete Sampras.

Entering with a perfect 2-0 record in Grand Slam finals, Wawrinka is seeking his 15th title at the tour-level. The 31 year old is looking to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win two or more major singles crowns after turning 30, joining Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.

Djokovic leads the FedEx ATP Head2Head 19-4, but Wawrinka has taken two of their past three Grand Slam meetings, including the 2015 Roland Garros final. In addition, four of their past five major encounters went five sets.

Here is how the final is unfolding…

SET ONE – Djokovic 7-6(1)
Warm and overcast conditions greeted Djokovic and Wawrinka on Sunday afternoon at Flushing Meadows, with the brutal humidity that plagued the tournament earlier in the week dropping significantly as the Serbian and the Swiss took to Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Wawrinka, who had won his past 10 tour-level finals, had his game plan. The World No. 3 hammered his backhand with aplomb in last year’s Roland Garros final against Djokovic, breaking down the Serbian’s defenses. With this year’s US Open courts playing slower than usual, Wawrinka had more time to set up his penetrating groundstrokes, which generated more than double the winners (157-70) throughout the fortnight.

But Djokovic had other plans from the start. Much like he did against Kei Nishikori in the semis, Wawrinka started slow, and the two-time US Open champion took full advantage in the early proceedings.

The World No. 1 broke Wawrinka from 40/15 down in the Swiss’ first service game and consolidated for a 3-0 lead. An outrageous point saw Djokovic deny a pair of forehand winners with his elastic defense from well behind the baseline. A lunging backhand stab landed smack on the far tramline and Wawrinka had no response.

Following a hold to love for 5-2, Djokovic looked to wrap up the set in efficient fashion, holding a pair of set points with Wawrinka serving at 5-3. But Wawrinka raised his game to match his counterpart, turning aside both chances and denying Djokovic’s bid to serve out the set a game later. The Swiss would hold for 5-all, suddenly turning the tide with a run of 12 of 15 points.

The set would proceed to a tie-break, where both competitors provided arguably the point of the tournament, a 19-shot rally that saw them produce a stunning shotmaking display of precision, power and finesse. Wawrinka would win the point, but that would be all the Swiss could muster in the tie-break as Djokovic took it 7-1 after 58 minutes.

SET TWO – Wawrinka 6-4
With musicians Paul Simon and Tony Bennett, actor James Spader and fashion icon Anna Wintour in attendance on a star-studded early evening in New York, Djokovic looked to extend his lead.

The Belgrade native is 51-0 when winning the first set at the US Open, but after taking a physical opener, he let his guard down early in the second. The scintillating down-the-line backhand in the ad court, that earned Wawrinka the title at Roland Garros over Djokovic last year, produced a moment of magic to break for 3-1. Two Djokovic double faults hurt the Serbian’s cause in that service game, and he would fail to capitalise on a 0/40 look at Wawrinka’s serve immediately after.

Coach Magnus Norman has brought a surge of mental strength to Wawrinka’s game in recent years and the Swiss exhibited that steely resolve during the second set. First, he refused to suffer a lapse of focus after dropping a tight opener. Then, he remained poised after conceding the break midway through the set.

The tide would turn in an instant. Serving up 4-2 30/30, Wawrinka decided not to make an attempt on a Djokovic regulation cross-court forehand that clipped the edge of the tramline. It would prove costly, as Djokovic would take his fourth break chance of the set in the next point and eventually draw level at 4-all.

But Wawrinka stayed the course, holding to love for 5-4 and converting his second set point as an off-balance Djokovic pulled a forehand wide at 30/40 in the next game. The Swiss would fire seven winners in the second set, benefiting from 14 Djokovic unforced errors. One set apiece, with a critical third stanza on the way.

It was July 1993. Pete Sampras was embarking on his 286-week reign atop the Emirates ATP Rankings, having claimed his first Wimbledon title.

On the ATP Challenger Tour, a 20-year-old Christian Ruud put Norway on the tennis map as its first titlist. Ruud won back-to-back crowns in Finland and France and would rise to a career-high World No. 39 just two years later.

Fast forward 23 years and the Ruud name is back in the spotlight. On Saturday, Casper Ruud – Christian’s son – rocked the tennis world, capturing his first title in his Challenger debut in Seville, Spain. At 17 years and eight months, he is the fourth-youngest player to win on debut in Challenger history. Only Michael Chang, Richard Gasquet and Jonathan Stark were younger.

Ruud, who opened the season outside the Top 1000, will soar nearly 200 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings to a projected World No. 273. The former junior No. 1 is the youngest winner on the circuit since Alexander Zverev (17 years, 3 months) in Braunschweig, Germany, in 2014.

Thank u thank u thank u guys!!!! Really I dont know what to say, but I couldn’t be more happy right now, amazing week?????????????

— Casper Ruud (@CasperRuud98) September 10, 2016

Opting to begin his professional journey over culminating his junior career at the US Open paid dividends for the Norwegian teen. Ruud proved his mettle throughout the week, marching through qualifying and winning seven matches in eight days, including four from a set down.

He would earn his first Top 150 win in the second round over Andrej Martin, followed by his first Top 100 win in stunning top seed Inigo Cervantes in the quarter-finals. Then came a comeback victory over defending champion Pedro Cachin in the semis, before downing third seed Taro Daniel 6-3, 6-4 in Saturday’s final. Ruud exhibited the composure of a veteran after letting a set and double break lead slip, holding on for the victory after one hour and 22 minutes.

The Oslo native is one of five 17-year-olds to lift a Challenger trophy in the past four years, joining #NextGen stars Zverev, Borna Coric, Taylor Fritz and Nick Kyrgios. He is also just the third Norwegian to emerge victorious in ATP Challenger Tour history, with his father and three-time winner Jan Frode Andersen.

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Jason Jung may have grown up in California, but he’s been excelling in China on the ATP Challenger Tour.

The 27 year old, who now plays for Taiwan, has posted an 11-15 record this year in Challenger events outside of China, but is now 14-2 at events within the country. He won his first Challenger title last month at the $125,000 event in Qingdao, helping push his Emirates ATP Ranking to a career high of No. 158.

Jung will reach a new career high Emirates ATP Ranking after his performance at the $50,000 Challenger in Shanghai. Coming in as the No. 6 seed, he upset top seed Jordan Thompson in the semi-finals on Saturday, 6-4, 6-4. He’ll play a rain-delayed final on Monday against No. 3 seed Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland.

“Most of my best results are in China and there are so many Challenger tournaments here, so it’s really good for me,” said Jung. “Especially in Qingdao, there were so many fans who supported me so much during the week. I like to have them get involved and could really feel that they were with me.”

His breakthrough year is particularly noteworthy because pro tennis wasn’t even in the cards for Jung when he graduated from the University of Michigan. He took a job at an oil company back home in Torrance, California, but found himself laid off after three months and unsure about what path to take.

“My friend suggested I play a big money tournament in Seattle. I had not picked up a tennis racquet since I finished at Michigan. But I went there and tuned everyone up,” wrote Jung in his ATP Challenger Chronicle blog last month. “I surprised myself. After that tournament, I decided I would make a run at the professional circuit.”

Slowly but surely, Jung has continued to climb up the Emirates ATP Rankings over the past five years. Now that he’s consistently making deep runs in ATP Challenger Tour events, he has even bigger goals in store for next year.

“My serve and my movement have gotten a lot better this year. I have a friend on my team who gave me some advice in those areas and it helped a lot,” said Jung. “I want to make it the Top 100 by the end of the year, but think I just need to continue to play like I have been.”