“It’s Very Difficult” – Coach on Another Major for Stan Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka and Magnus Norman make a very good team. The coach and player have found huge success working together. But after injury ridden seasons in the last couple of years, and a dip in form, Norman has given Wawrinka and his fans something of a reality check.

The success of Stan Wawrinka and Magnus Norman

Stan Wawrinka brought on Magnus Norman as his main coach in 2013. Norman was already a well-renowned coach at the time. Many players on Tour wished to employ him in order to turn their fortunes. But he opted to go with Wawrinka.

And what a decision that turned out to be for both men.

Wawrinka’s game and form improved significantly in 2013. He re-entered the Top 10 in the world after having dropped out. In the same year, he made his first quarter final at Roland Garros and his first Grand Slam semi final at the US Open.

With a very successful year in 2013, he managed to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals for the first time. He lost to Novak Djokovic in the semi final.

In the very next year, 2014, Stan won his first Major, defeating Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open.

In 2015, he won the Roland Garros after a monumental comeback win in the final against Djokovic.

And finally, at the 2016 US Open, Wawrinka won his third Grand Slam title, beating Djokovic once again.

Three Grand Slam titles in itself make for a very glowing record. Add to that some context and the era in which he did it, and the achievement becomes even better.

Just how many players can say they won the biggest trophies in a decade dominated by an avidity for Grand Slams by the Big Three?

Three, that’s how many.

Other than Stan, Andy Murray(3) and Marin Cilic(1) are the only players who have done it.

Another Major “difficult”

Unfortunately, Wawrinka struggled with a knee injury in the last couple of years. And injuries, in a sport like tennis, are quite damaging. They not only pull you down in the rankings, but also break all the momentum a player has gained.

Magnus Norman talked about his player’s chances of winning another Major in an interview recently.

“It is very difficult. When we started working together, the goal was not to win a Slam, but to allow him to play his best tennis and get the security he needs to manage his emotions. Being healthy, strengthening self-confidence and competing at the top is what we work on. In recent years he hasn’t played much against the aforementioned players (Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray), he misses it and wants to challenge them.”

It will be a difficult task to get back at the top, especially since Djokovic and Nadal are still going strong.

At 34 years of age, Stan is a veteran of the sport; but if he does manage to get healthy again, his thundering ground strokes can trouble even the best of the best.