What did Stan improve?

TeamOB · Apr 8, 2014

Until 2013, Stan was kind of a journeyman player. He hung around the 20-30 spots of the rankings and rarely made the second week of slams. His performance in Masters was also so-so. Many 1st and 2nd round losses with an occasional good run. Then, at the age of 28, he suddenly became a Top 5 player and Slam winner. What did he change? I think he became a bit more consistent from the baseline, especially when moving. His movement also seems to have improved some. Is that enough to make such a big jump in ranking? Has anyone noticed anything else?

Tenez101 · Apr 8, 2014

Number one thing is fitness. He went from barely being able to catch his breath in a fifth set against Djokovic to looking the fresher of the two. Also he's a lot more patient in rallies. Magnus seems to have contributed to his improved tactics.

rofl_copter3 · Apr 8, 2014

Agreed on fitness! But with fitness you get an added bonus of self belief. He wasn't having to worry about ending things quickly or getting tired... They go hand in hand, and from there comes confidence and wins...

newpball · Apr 8, 2014

So far the man with the plan turned out to be flash in the pan.

:grin:

President · Apr 8, 2014

Better serve, better forehand, and better movement. He always had great fundamentals though, he just matured mentally as a human being too. That is the most important thing, he grew up.

Sid_Vicious · Apr 8, 2014

Tenez101 said:
Number one thing is fitness. He went from barely being able to catch his breath in a fifth set against Djokovic to looking the fresher of the two. Also he's a lot more patient in rallies. Magnus seems to have contributed to his improved tactics.

I think he improved his fitness but he wasn't the fresher of the two IMO. Stan was doing stretches after every game in the 5th set. Overall, Djokovic was having more success getting deep into Stan's service games. Wawrinka wasn't able to run for nearly as many balls as Djokovic could. I think the biggest thing was mental. His serve was outrageously clutch.

Tenez101 · Apr 8, 2014

Sid_Vicious said:
I think he improved his fitness but he wasn't the fresher of the two IMO. Stan was doing stretches after every game in the 5th set. Overall, Djokovic was having more success getting deep into Stan's service games. Wawrinka wasn't able to run for nearly as many balls as Djokovic could. I think the biggest thing was mental. His serve was outrageously clutch.

Yes, you're right but I think it is in a large part a byproduct of his increased fitness - he had more confidence knowing he could phycially hang with Djokovic in the long rallies, and wasn't too hasty to pull the trigger like much of AO '13. Good point on the serve, I can't even remember how many break points he saved in the fifth set.

Vensai · Apr 8, 2014

Fitness mostly I think.
His mentality is still streaky though.

rossi46 · Apr 9, 2014

Serve, mental toughness and that absurd tattoo.

sbengte · Apr 9, 2014

TeamOB said:
Until 2013, Stan was kind of a journeyman player. He hung around the 20-30 spots of the rankings and rarely made the second week of slams. His performance in Masters was also so-so. Many 1st and 2nd round losses with an occasional good run. Then, at the age of 28, he suddenly became a Top 5 player and Slam winner. What did he change? I think he became a bit more consistent from the baseline, especially when moving. His movement also seems to have improved some. Is that enough to make such a big jump in ranking? Has anyone noticed anything else?

I thought he entered the top 10 in 2008, though wasn't consistent enough to maintain it. Fitness is definitely a factor but I think he grew a lot in the confidence and consistency department under Norman.

The signs were there in the WTF match he played with Nadal and it was clear he was getting really close and it was a matter of time before he took a match from Nadal. That it would come on the biggest stage , less than a couple of months from then, was something no one would have thought.

Chanwan · Apr 9, 2014

President said:
Better serve, better forehand, and better movement. He always had great fundamentals though, he just matured mentally as a human being too. That is the most important thing, he grew up.

This. Don't think the mental part can be overestimated. Knowing his fundamentals and fitness had improved properly gave him the necessary belief that he had previously lacked against the top dogs.

Wawrinka_4_President@LHC · Apr 9, 2014

Don't forget that he increased his collaboration with the GOAT's GOAT of physical trainers, Pierre Paganini.

Flash O'Groove · Apr 9, 2014

I remember Stan saying a lot of time that he was very confident that he could go the distance in 5 setters. Stan was always very strong and he was always very proud of it. So I disagree that fitness is important. With Stan, the problem was always in his head, and it is still in his head by the way.

chrischris · Apr 9, 2014

Head ... But a very robust belief in physical capabilities does help it.

PP helped him a lot.

Gustavo Kuerten · Apr 9, 2014

Fitness, meaning the same doping regime Norman put Söderling on and ended his career.

Outside of that getting extremely lucky to play his master while he was injured.

uliks · Apr 9, 2014

Gustavo Kuerten said:
Fitness, meaning the same doping regime Norman put Söderling on and ended his career.

Outside of that getting extremely lucky to play his master while he was injured.

this...

10 chars

Roddick85 · Apr 9, 2014

I don't think Stan improved any of his game mechanics. He's just perhaps a bit more confident and fitter than he was a year before. Sorry but I still believe the AO was a fluke and a career high for him. Since then, he didn't go deep in any of the tournaments he played, looked very average in DC. He's a top 10 guy, not top 5.

FedError · Apr 9, 2014

He started visiting the Tennis Tips/Instruction forum.

uliks · Apr 9, 2014

I think swiss doping industry is one of the best in europe

sbengte · Apr 9, 2014

uliks said:
I think swiss doping industry is one of the best in europe

I hear the locals can't afford the products made so they export it 100% to another European country whose Government sponsors doping across all sports be it soccer or tennis.

bjsnider · Apr 9, 2014

Improved his personal life.

urundai · Apr 9, 2014

Fitness is a definite factor but more importantly, consistency in his all court game and belief that he can beat the top dogs if he plays his game.

Amelie Mauresmo · Apr 9, 2014

TeamOB said:
Until 2013, Stan was kind of a journeyman player. He hung around the 20-30 spots of the rankings and rarely made the second week of slams. His performance in Masters was also so-so. Many 1st and 2nd round losses with an occasional good run. Then, at the age of 28, he suddenly became a Top 5 player and Slam winner. What did he change? I think he became a bit more consistent from the baseline, especially when moving. His movement also seems to have improved some. Is that enough to make such a big jump in ranking? Has anyone noticed anything else?

Your comment is off the mark being top 20 is NOT a journeyman player. Stan had reached the top 10 back in 2009 and he returned last year. Stan fitness and mentality changed due to Magnus Norman.

cc0509 · Apr 9, 2014

Amelie Mauresmo said:
Your comment is off the mark being top 20 is NOT a journeyman player. Stan had reached the top 10 back in 2009 and he returned last year. Stan fitness and mentality changed due to Magnus Norman.

Yes, but for how much longer? He has probably reached his absolute peak with that AO slam win and it may be all downhill from there.

Tenez101 · Apr 9, 2014

cc0509 said:
Yes, but for how much longer? He has probably reached his absolute peak with that AO slam win and it may be all downhill from there.

He can already retire more than happy with his AO title. The motivation seems missing at the moment.

6-1 6-3 6-0 · Apr 9, 2014

He improved his ability to arrogantly point at his own head after winning a point, as if to say he 'out-thought' his opponent via ballbashing.

ultradr · Apr 9, 2014

President said:
Better serve, better forehand, and better movement.

I noticed this. His serve and forehand used to be touch shaky....

cc0509 · Apr 9, 2014

Tenez101 said:
He can already retire more than happy with his AO title. The motivation seems missing at the moment.

True................

TeamOB · Apr 9, 2014

6-1 6-3 6-0 said:
He improved his ability to arrogantly point at his own head after winning a point, as if to say he 'out-thought' his opponent via ballbashing.

Still mad about that AO final I see. Relax. I think even Nadal has gotten over it.

Omega_7000 · Apr 10, 2014

6-1 6-3 6-0 said:
He improved his ability to arrogantly point at his own head after winning a point, as if to say he 'out-thought' his opponent via ballbashing.

Stan_Wawrinka_s_post-final_speech_-_2014_Australian_Open.jpg

fps · Apr 10, 2014

Better fitness better self-belief better forehand. As others have said. Heck of a combination, he has now achieved his life's ambition, congratulations to him, he was amazing in the AO!

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