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Stan Wawrinka to face Rafael Nadal in French Open 2017 final

Stanislas Wawrinka who for most of his career has been living in the shadows of his much famous and successful compatriot Roger Federer now has a chance to do something which even the 18 time Grand Slam champion has been unable to achieve in his glistering career- win 2 French Open titles.

Easy as it sounds Stan the Man as he is fondly called faces a formidable opponent across the net in Rafael Nadal who is gunning for an unprecendented 10th title on the red dirt of Paris.

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Wawrinka wins see saw battle against Murray in the Semis

Although Wawrinka has won the same number of Grand Slams as current world number 1 Andy Murray, he is often placed a rung below the quartet of the ‘big four’ because of his lack of consistency. Their semi final match was a testament to that. After losing the first set in the tie break, Wawrinka came back strongly to take the next set 6-3 and was cursing in the third set with a 3-0 lead over the World Number 1. Murray though stormed back to take the set and a 2-1 lead overall. The 4th set was no less dramatic with yet another tie break needed to separate the two. After taking the fourth set in and taking the match into a deciding 5th set many backed Murray to come through due to his much more compact style of play.

But what folded on Court Philippe Chatrier was nothing short of brilliant. Stan Wawrinka switched on the “Stanimal” mode and blew away Murray in the final set sprinting to a 5-0 lead before Murray avoided the bagel which was all he could do as the Swiss moved to his second final at Roland Garros.

Yet another Swiss Opponent for Nadal in a Grand Slam Final

Rafael Nadal has turned back the clock in the European clay swing of 2017. He has pretty much won everything on the surface where he is called the ‘King of Clay’. In the ongoing French Open he is yet to drop a set something which deemed impossible given Nadal’s form and fitness by the end of US Open last year. Nadal who celebrated his birthday just a few days back will have to face yet another Swiss in Stan Wawrinka across the net if he is to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires and complete La Decima.

Nadal Vs Wawrinka: Can Stan the Man achieve the impossible?

In an era dominated by the Big Four Stan Wawrinka has quietly flown under the radar and raked up 3 Grand Slams with the possibility of adding another one on Sunday. But it is easier said than done as the guy across the net has dominated so much that fans created the phrase-“Certainties in life- Death , Taxes and Rafa Nadal winning the French Open”. Rafael Nadal has complied a staggering 101-2 record at the French Open and remains a perfect 9-0 in the finals, Wawrinka on his part has never lost a Grand Slam final he has played in, including a win over the Spaniard in Australian Open. Sunday’s final promises to be a thriller with one of the streaks bound to come to an end but it will have a much more significance than that. A win for Nadal who is 5 years younger to Federer will once again open up the all time Grand Slam record race and will put Nadal clear in the second place which he currently shares with Pete Samras. A win for Stan would elevate his status to the ‘Big Five’ and also have an outside chance of becoming the world number 1 if he can carry his form to the hallowed lawns of Wimbledon.

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