Wawrinka unclutch in 5 setters at the Slams?

[Mainad]

It's struck me how often in the last few years since he became a top 10 player he has lost in 5 set matches at the Slams. This is the rather sobering record since his 2013 breakthrough year:

5 set matches lost:

2013 Australian Open R4: lost to Djokovic.
2013 US Open semi-final: lost to Djokovic.
2014 US Open quarter-final: lost to Nishikori.
2015 Australian Open semi-final: lost to Djokovic.
2015 Wimbledon quarter-final: lost to Gasquet.
2016 Australian Open R4: lost to Raonic.
2017 Australian Open semi-final: lost to Federer.

Why does he seem to be so unclutch in closing out 5 setters at the Slams? Notably all 3 of his victorious Slam finals went to 4 sets. None to 5. Had any of them gone to 5, would he have lost?

Any thoughts?

 

[Amalhotra]

2017 AO to Klizan won
2016 FO to Rosol won
2014 AO to Djok won
2010 USO to Murray won
2011 FO to Tsonga won
2016 USO to Evans won

and I thought about the question for like 3 seconds. Dude is fine

 

[Tennisanity]

Because he's a blitzkrieg kind of guy? 5 setters require consistency and patience.

 

[Mainad]

2017 AO to Klizan won
2016 FO to Rosol won
2014 AO to Djok won
2010 USO to Murray won
2011 FO to Tsonga won
2016 USO to Evans won

and I thought about the question for like 3 seconds. Dude is fine

Okay, but the record is still very much a mixed bag.

 

[Red Rick]

2017 AO to Klizan won
2016 FO to Rosol won
2014 AO to Djok won
2010 USO to Murray won
2011 FO to Tsonga won
2016 USO to Evans won

and I thought about the question for like 3 seconds. Dude is fine

Murray and Tsonga are before 2013. Rosol, Evans and Klizan are guys he has no business going 5 against. Only Djokovic was a good win.

Good observation Mainad. But I don't really see that much into it.

 

[Mainad]

Murray and Tsonga are before 2013. Rosol, Evans and Klizan are guys he has no business going 5 against. Only Djokovic was a good win.

Good observation Mainad. But I don't really see that much into it.

But do you feel confident about him going into 5 setters with other top players?

 

[Red Rick]

But do you feel confident about him going into 5 setters with other top players?

I don't know. I think the only 5 setters he lost when he was really tuned in were the 3 losses vs Djokovic. If he's really on he just rarely goes 5 sets. If he isn't on and goes 5, he may well lose, but he's likely to dig it out against lower ranked opponents. The likes of Gasquet on grass otoh are very dangerous.

 

[Mainad]

I don't know. I think the only 5 setters he lost when he was really tuned in were the 3 losses vs Djokovic. If he's really on he just rarely goes 5 sets. If he isn't on and goes 5, he may well lose, but he's likely to dig it out against lower ranked opponents. The likes of Gasquet on grass otoh are very dangerous.

But he was surely tuned in against Federer the other night and playing against an older guy just back from a 6 month layoff and apparently carrying another injury. He came back from a 2 set deficit just like he did last year against Raonic but in neither case could he keep up the change in momentum for the 1 set shootout at the end. It's a bit puzzling to me to be honest.

 

[Red Rick]

But he was surely tuned in against Federer the other night and playing against an older guy just back from a 6 month layoff and apparently carrying another injury. He came back from a 2 set deficit just like he did last year against Raonic but in neither case could he keep up the change in momentum for the 1 set shootout at the end. It's a bit puzzling to me to be honest.

I missed most of that match. Last set looked pretty poor to from what I saw. Break was horrible

 

[shankster]

I don't know. I think the only 5 setters he lost when he was really tuned in were the 3 losses vs Djokovic. If he's really on he just rarely goes 5 sets. If he isn't on and goes 5, he may well lose, but he's likely to dig it out against lower ranked opponents. The likes of Gasquet on grass otoh are very dangerous.

Pretty much this. If he is really ON, it won't go to 5. If he isn't on, he is likely to lose to a superior player (not because of being "unclutch" but because he is not playing well enough) but may still escape against the likes of Klizan, Rosol etc. The Gasquet loss is perhaps the only surprising result because I thought he played quite well in that match and got outlasted by an opponent with far fewer weapons, though admittedly grass isn't his best surface and Gasquet is a 2 time Wimbledon semi finalist.