There's a new sheriff in the ATP, and his name is not Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.
It was there for the taking for Switzerland's top-ranked player on Sunday. Somewhat surprisingly, that player turned out to be Stanislas Wawrinka, not Federer.
Wawrinka had another breakthrough this season, defeating Federer for the first time in 12 matches with his 5-6, 7-6 (5) 6-2 victory at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters for his second victory of the season, ESPN.com reported. Wawrinka, the world's No. 3 player, added that trophy to his Australian Open trophy.
Now, the new supreme Swiss player has his sights on becoming the first player to win both the Australian and French Opens since Jim Courier in 1992, tennis.com reported. He ended 12- and 14-match losing streaks to No. 1 Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Novak Djokovic, respectively, before taking down his idol, the No. 4 Federer in Monte Carlo, according to ESPN.
"Well, it already change lastyear when I start to first make my first quarter in French Open, final in Madrid, my first semifinal in US Open," Wawrinka told reporters afterward, as reported by ESPN. "I start to realize I be able to beat all the players. That's what I am doing this year and I'm doing well.
"I'm surprised where I am, but I'm not surprised when I see how I play on the court, how I move, the way I'm winning those match(es). I can see that when mentally I'm there and I'm fighting, I can play tennis; I can beat all the player(s)."
Wawrinka is 6-0 against the top 10 in 2014 but doesn't consider himself the favorite in Roland Garros, which will take place in a month.
"It's normal that I would be a favorite for the French Open, but I don't think so because I'm very far from players like Rafa, Novak and Roger," Wawrinka said. "Anyway, I will not change anything in the way I approach the tournaments."
He doesn't have to, after conquering Federer to gain an important mental edge. Djokovic is out indefinitely with a sprained wrist and will be rusty if he plays in the French Open at all. Nadal, who lost to David Ferrer in the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo, said he's fighting to regain his confidence after losing the Australian Open final to Wawrinka and recovering from a back injury.
Tennis could be on the verge of seeing Wawrinka do what Andy Murray almost did in 2013, break up the Nadal-Djokovic-Federer stranglehold on the ATP.
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