Novak Djokovic was almost unbackable to win yesterday’s French Open final and complete the career Grand Slam but Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka shocked the Serb in four sets to win his second Grand Slam final.
Remarkably, Wawrinka now has the same amount of Grand Slam titles as perennial contender Andy Murray, even as the Swiss player admits he isn’t as good as the ‘Big 4’.
But an article from 2011 explains just how dedicated Wawrinka was to reach an elite level in tennis. This headline sums up what he sacrificed to be a champion.
One year after the birth of his child, Wawrinka left his wife and moved into a hotel so he could concentrate fully on tennis. According to an article in TimesLive, Wawrinka said at the time that he had only five years left to make an impact in the sport and wanted to devote himself fully to it.
By that timetable, he has another seven Grand Slam events in that five-year window to add to his collection. Could he not have just cut out carbs?
