By Erik Gudris | Tuesday, January 13, 2015

"It's going to be a strange feeling to come back as the defending champion in a Grand Slam."

That's what Stan Wawrinka said about returning to the Australian Open next week after defending his Chennai Open title on Sunday. Wawrinka, for sure, will likely feel lots of different emotions coming back to Melbourne. So how will he handle it?

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We remember the images from last year of Wawrinka pointing to his head during many of his matches down under indicating his mental strength. Yet post-Melbourne, 2014 also saw Wawrinka go through a bumpy transition at times from being one of the pack trailing the "big four" to suddenly being in the conversation as a potential long-term member of that elite group.

Sometimes it felt like Wawrinka didn't want anyone to forget he was in that conversation by adding his own two Euros. During the Davis Cup final between Switzerland and France last year, Wawrinka often went out of his way to tell everyone of his new place in the ATP hierarchy.

"I'm not number four for nothing," Wawrinka boasted after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the tie. That may have been a response to Wawrinka feeling the pre-tie build-up was more focused on fellow teammate Roger Federer. But that jab probably had more to do with Tsonga's earlier comment in the year saying he wouldn't trade careers with Wawrinka even if the Swiss had more Grand Slam titles than him now.

Was that bravado or defensiveness from Warwrinka? After all, Wawrinka's need to defend his new status may stem from that Australian Open men's final last year. Wawrinka's opponent, Rafael Nadal, ended up being injured during the match. Debate ensued that if Nadal wasn't injured, would Wawrinka have won at all? Everyone has their own opinion, but it's hard not to think Wawrinka didn't hear that chatter too. Wawrinka shouldn't feel the need to prove anything to anyone. But having lived under Federer's shadow for so long, and then finally proving that yes, he too could be a Grand Slam champion, Wawrinka can probably be excused for a little boasting here and there.

At age 29, Wawrinka certainly appears to have the perfect combination of experience and talent to remain a constant member of the top four. Yet he also has to some of the dips in concentration and form against lesser opponents that he also endured in several surprise opening round losses. Could he be number one? Possibly. He certainly knows what it's like to beat the likes of Novak Djokovic, Federer and Nadal and believes he could do it again. Doing it on the biggest stages in the biggest matches is what Wawrinka still needs to do more of if he wants a shot at that coveted ranking.

That's why this Australian Open is so important for Wawrinka. If he repeats as champion down under or, at least goes very deep in the draw, it would solidify his standing in the ATP's elite tier. But, if he exits Melbourne early, the questions will arise if Wawrinka can sustain his new standing for the rest of the season.

Stan Wawrinka still remains as the one of the few players who can truly shake up the ATP tour this year. If he can start strong in Melboune, and finish strong at the end of the season, who's to say he couldn't finish as year-end number one? That will depend on many things, but if Wawrinka truly believes he deserves to be not only among the best, but the best of the best, then 2015 could be the season that Wawrinka points to his head and says, "I believed all along."