Australian Open 2014: Stan Wawrinka’s Triumph Nearly Overshadowed by Rafa’s Pain

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: January 27, 2014

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Stanislas Wawrinka won the Australian Open, his first Grand Slam title. Hopefully he's somewhere throwing a party. Because yesterday he had to endure the party poopers. 

What was supposed to be Wawrinka's night in the spotlight was nearly overshadowed by Rafael Nadal's back injury. Australian Open tournament officials and ESPN focused so much attention on Nadal's injury that the trophy ceremony was more like a wake for Rafa instead of an honor for Stan.

It's a shame, too. Wawrinka earned that win. He played his way through Novak Djokovic, the three-time defending champion, and Nadal.  

After winning match point, Wawrinka was slow to throw his hands up in victory. It was the greatest moment in his career, and yet he appeared too empathetic to celebrate. He told Tennis.com, “This wasn’t the way I wanted to win a tennis match...But it’s a Grand Slam, so you have to take it.”

That's right, Stan. You took that title. Nadal, a 13-time Grand Slam winner, entered the tournament as the favorite and ranked No. 1. He also had a 12-0 record against Wawrinka. But Wawrinka played the tournament of his life. Unfortunately, his celebration was muted by Nadal's pain.  

Down a set and 0-3 in the second, Nadal took a medical timeout to address an issue with his back. He winced and grimaced. He appeared to be in considerable pain. When he returned, the crowd booed him.

Fans can speculate and draw their own conclusions. Nadal, however, broke no rules. He used the medical attention allotted to all players.

The problem was post-match. Cameras were fixated on Nadal, even as Wawrinka gave his speech. The tournament organizers spent more time talking about what a great champion Nadal has been than they did of Wawrinka. The headlines from The Washington Post to Sports Illustrated mention Nadal's injury. The ESPN.com m...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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