By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, May 9, 2016
"I see Novak, for sure, the favorite, as last year. I think he's going to be tough to beat," Wawrinka said.
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Stan Wawrinka says Novak Djokovic is a strong French Open favorite, but the reigning Roland Garros champion believes his level of play is better now than his 2015 form preceding Paris.
A year ago, Wawrinka rode a wave of shotmaking brilliance stunning the top-ranked Serbian, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to collect his first Roland Garros championship and deny Djokovic the career Grand Slam.
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So is Stan still the only man capable of derailing Djokovic from winning the only Grand Slam championship missing from his collection?
A dominant Djokovic dethroned defending Madrid Open champion Andy Murray to collect his record 29th Masters title yesterday. Wawrinka calls the 11-time Grand Slam champion "the big favorite" to complete the career Grand Slam in Paris.
"I see Novak, for sure, the favorite, as last year. I think he's going to be tough to beat," Wawrinka said. "He's going to be the big favorite. Then I would put Murray and Rafa. Rafa is starting to get back some confidence. He's playing better. Murray is playing extremely well since few years now especially on clay. Last year he won Madrid. So it's going to be I think a really interesting French Open again."
A year ago, Wawrinka staggered through an erratic spring season suffering losses to 59th-ranked Sergiy Stakhovsky, 104th-ranked Robin Haase, Adrian Mannarino and a pair of defeats to Grigor Dimitrov. Then he caught fire in Rome dispatching Juan Monaco, Dominic Thiem and Rafael Nadal in succession before losing to sometime doubles partner Roger Federer in the semifinals.
Wawrinka,who lost to Nick Kyrgios in his Madrid opener last week, says his level of play is higher now than it was before his 2015 Roland Garros run.
"Last year I was struggling with my game before here. I was starting only here to practice a little bit better, to find some level," Wawrinka said. "I wasn't playing great tennis. I start little by little to play better and better in Rome, Geneva, and then in Paris.
"This year I'm just feeling really good in practice. I think I'm playing well. That's why I know that if I keep pushing myself the rest will come sooner or later. I don't know when, but I know that my level is there."
The fourth-ranked Swiss opened the season winning hard-court titles in Chennai and Dubai. Wawrinka has just four clay-court matches to his credit this season making Rome a pivotal proving ground for his French Open preparation.
"It's always important. But for sure losing first round in Madrid doesn't give me a lot of matches and a lot of points," Wawrinka said. "I'm here. I have been practicing well. I think my level is good. So hopefully I can start well and do something big."
The two-time Grand Slam champion had a first-round bye. Wawrinka faces Benoit Paire in his Rome opener. The 31-year-old Swiss has won six of eight meetings with Paire; they've split two meetings this season.
"Not having matches for Paris or not even getting ready for that, for me it's more about playing well every week I play," Wawrinka said. "That's the most important for myself. As long as I'm practicing well and doing the right thing, I know it's going to come."