Stan Wawrinka wins men’s French Open 2015 championship

Stan Wawrinka upset Novak Djokavic, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, to win his first French Open singles title on Sunday. Wawrinka kept Djokovic from completing a career Grand Slam in a thrilling, four-set match.

Coming into the match, Djokavic had a 17-3 record against Wawrinka, but the Swiss player was spectacular at Roland Garros against the world’s top-ranked player.

Djokovic had his hands full with the No. 8-ranked Wawrinka from the opening game at Roland Garros, which featured a 39-shot rally. Djokovic took the first set, 6-4, but Wawrinka was able to break Djokavic’s serve to capture the second set -- it was the first time in the tournament that Djokavic didn’t win the first two sets.

Wawrinka kept the momentum going in the third set, including this incredible shot around the net, to take a 4-2 lead before pulling away to take a 2-1 set lead.

The players traded blows in a thrilling fourth set. Djokavic broke Wawrinka’s serve and had 3-0 lead, but Wawrinka fought back to win three straight games. Djokavic battled to keep his title hopes alive, but Wawrinka broke Djokavic’s serve one more time with a perfectly placed backhand drop shot to take a 5-4 lead. He won the title on his second championship point, and threw his racket in the air in celebration.

Wawrinka ended Djokovic’s hot streak in 2015. Heading into the match, he was 41-2 this year and had won 28 straight matches. To get to the final, he had to defeat Rafael Nadal, the “King of Clay,” and Andy Murray. Wawrinka defeated Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before taking out Djokovic in the final.

Djokovic couldn’t do what the women’s No. 1 Serena Williams accomplished the day before when she took the women’s title. The French Open continues to elude Djokovic, who will have to wait one more year for his shot at a career Grand Slam.

The win gave Wawrinka his second major title. He also won the Australian Open in 2014.