‘Wawrinka has proved himself to be one of the top four guys’
Stanislas Wawrinka should stop being so modest and put himself on a par with the so-called Big Four, according to Kevin Anderson, the man who beat the newly-crowned French Open champion at Queen's Club on Wednesday.
Despite a sensational display to beat World No 1 Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros final last week to claim his second Grand Slam title, Wawrinka is self-deprecating when it comes to comparing himself with the best.
Anderson thinks the 30-year-old Swiss should now be regarded as equal to Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
"I was just thinking about that the other day, actually," Anderson, who now has four consecutive wins against Wawrinka after his 7-6, 7-6 victory on the west London grass, told reporters.
"I think historically, yes (he is right), but in the last year and a half, the six (Grand Slams), Stan's won two of them and Novak has two and, you know, nobody else has that.
"So you can make a pretty strong case that I think he's proved himself to be one of the top four guys in the world."
Wawrinka, who won the 2014 Australian Open against a less than 100 per cent fit Nadal, has risen to fourth in the ATP rankings and was not too disappointed with his loss.
"I think it was in general a good level," he said. "I did one big mistake on the set point, but that's it."
But despite an incredible 18 months he still insists the Big Four has not become a Big Five.
"For sure if you look last two years, I'm number four in the world with two Grand Slams, Masters 1000, one 500, two or three 250, one Davis Cup, so that's amazing," he said.
"But when we talk about the Big Four it's been 10 years."
Wawrinka will now stay in London and sharpen his grasscourt game for Wimbledon where he lost to fellow Swiss Roger Federer in last year's quarter-finals.
"I'm going to practice hard, for sure," he said. "I am trying to find the right balance between resting and practice. I'm quite tired mentally. Physically, also, but especially mentally."
