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Stan Wawrinka will challenge for a fourth Grand Slam championship after hitting 87 winners to edge Andy Murray 6-7(8), 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-1 in a pulsating semi-final at Roland Garros on Friday.
The Swiss will look to win his second Roland Garros crown when he faces either nine-time champion Rafael Nadal or Dominic Thiem in Sunday’s final. Wawrinka won the clay-court major in 2015, beating Novak Djokovic, and also counts triumphs at the 2014 Australian Open and 2016 US Open in his major haul.
"I'm really happy to be in the final," said Wawrinka. "I think it was quite a tough match today. A big battle. I want to enjoy it a lot, because, as I say, it's not all the time you can say you're going to play a final of a Grand Slam, especially in Paris. I really want to enjoy that."
By reaching the final in Paris, Wawrinka is guaranteed to go to No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, meaning Djokovic will slip to No. 4. Should he win the title, he would go to a new career-high No. 2.

It was sweet revenge for Wawrinka, who was beaten in the semi-finals of his title defence last year by Murray, who would go on to lose to Djokovic in the final. That they were both in the semi-finals again was testament to the level of tennis they were able to produce after underwhelming results on the clay coming in.
"I came in playing garbage,” joked Murray, whose best result had been the semi-finals in Barcelona (l. to Thiem). While Wawrinka had begun to hit top gear just the week before Roland Garros, banishing memories of early losses in Madrid and Rome by winning his home title in Geneva (d. M. Zverev).
Watch: Wawrinka Revelling In Underdog Role
But they both delivered their finest tennis in front of an enthralled Philippe Chatrier Crowd in a match lasting four hours and 34 minutes, and decided, fittingly, with the 87th winner from Wawrinka’s racquet. The story of the match could be seen quite simply from the winners-unforced error stats: 87-77 for Wawrinka, 36-36 for Murray.
"For sure it was amazing match I felt on the court," said Wawrinka. "I enjoyed playing this match. For sure when you win it's better after. We had some crazy points with some good rallies, with some good level of tennis. And to play a semi-final here, at the French Open against Andy, No. 1 in the world, that's something really special, so for sure I enjoy it."
"I'm proud of the tournament I had," said Murray. "I did well considering. I was one tie-break away from getting to the final when I came in really struggling. So I have to be proud of that.
"Maybe the lack of matches hurt me a little bit in the end today. That was a very high intensity match. A lot of long points. When you haven't been playing loads, over four-and-a-half hours, that can catch up to you a little bit. I only have myself to blame for that, for the way I played coming into the tournament.
"But I turned my form around really, really well and ended up having a good tournament, all things considered."

Murray, contesting the Roland Garros semi-finals for the fifth time, used every ounce of his guile and defensive skills to sneak the opener. It was a set Wawrinka will know he should have won. The Swiss served for it at 5-3, and held a set point in the tie-break, but his go-for-broke play proved his undoing as well as his weapon, as his unforced error count mounted, due in no small part to Murray's phenomenal defence.
After thwarting Wawrinka's bid to serve for the set in the ninth game, Murray then edged a nervy tie-break, which saw both players squander leads. Murray twice had a mini-break advantage, but neither time managed to build on his lead. The Dunblane native came in behind his first serve at 5/5, but it was Wawrinka who won the game of cat and mouse at the net to earn his first set point. The Swiss failed to convert, though, as he fired a backhand into the net - one of 23 unforced errors he committed in the set, compared to just 10 from Murray. Murray then seized his own set point opportunity, steering the point his way with a brave backhand topspin lob in the wind, and sealed the opener as Wawrinka dumped a forehand return into the net.
But the 2015 Roland Garros champion would not be cowed. Wawrinka struck back in the second set, keeping Murray under constant pressure with a continuing barrage of shots. The 32-year-old Swiss brought his unforced errors down to 15 for the set, and fired rockets from the baseline to keep Murray scrambling. Murray dug himself out of a nine-plus minute game at 2-2, saving a break point, but he could not keep Wawrinka at bay in the seventh game. Feeling the pressure, Murray double faulted to go down 0/40 and could only watch on as Wawrinka rifled a backhand winner to seal the break.
This time, Wawrinka made no mistake with his lead. The Lausanne native went after Murray’s serve again in the ninth game and secured the set at the first opportunity, firing a forehand winner off the return to level the match.
Commentating for Eurosport, John McEnroe remarked that Murray was “paralysed” in the face of the explosiveness and pace coming off Wawrinka’s racquet, and the Scot appeared flat at the start of the third set as Wawrinka raced to a 3-0 lead.
Murray stopped the run of seven games against him as he dug in to hold serve, though, and he seized his opportunity as Wawrinka’s level dipped in the following game to get the break back. In a set that would swing both ways, Wawrinka again went up a break to lead 4-2, but Murray once more hit back. It seems likely Wawrinka would have scored yet another break in the eighth game, were it not for some improvised defence from Murray at key moments, including a half-volley lob at 15/15.
Having held for 4-4, Murray might have rued two missed break points in the following game as his trusty backhand return temporarily deserted him at 15/40. But the Scot responded well to hold for 5-5 and then scrapped his way to the decisive service break in the 11th game. After Paris’ take on the Mexican Wave, the Scot was able to serve out the third set.

Following five service breaks in the third set, neither player created a break point chance in the fourth, which was ultimately decided in another tie-break. Despite Murray’s high level throughout the set, the Scot was made to rue an ill-executed drop shot at 2/3. It was all the opening Wawrinka needed. Roared on by the Parisian crowd, the Swiss reeled off the following three points, including an explosive forehand return winner on set point.
Wawrinka did not look back in the fifth set. Almost unstoppable, the Swiss surged into a double-break lead. Murray tried to fire himself up and stem the momentum against him, but it was to no avail as Wawrinka broke again. Murray held off defeat momentarily with a break in the sixth game, but succumbed in the following game as Wawrinka rifled a backhand winner up the line.

Wawrinka started his clay season with a 2-3 record before coming alive at the right moment, as he so often has throughout his career. He retained his title on home soil in Geneva and then stormed into the semi-finals in Paris without losing a set. On Friday, his fitness was on full display as he fought through World No. 1 Andy Murray in a marathon five-set match.
The Swiss star admitted not being able to replicate that same level against Nadal, but said simply making another it to a Grand Slam final is a positive result for him.
“I was nervous this morning about the match, about the final, about playing against him. But when I entered the court, I enjoyed it and appreciated being in the final of a Grand Slam. That's always something special and you need to see that from the bigger picture,” said Wawrinka. “This score wasn't good. The match wasn't good. But at the end of the day, there are a lot of positives to take from the past few weeks.
“I was really down three weeks ago, not winning matches in Masters 1000 events or playing my best tennis. There was a lot in doubt in my game,” he added. “In three weeks, I won in Geneva and made the final of a Grand Slam, so that's big for me.”

Wawrinka was also full of praise for Nadal completing the historic La Decima at this event. Having faced Nadal in 19 FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, with the first dating back to the 2007 Australian Open, he boldly claimed that the Spaniard has reached new heights with his tennis.
“What he did is so big for the sport. He’s playing the best he’s ever played,” said Wawrinka. “He’s an amazing fighter. There is always one more ball coming back. There is always spin on the ball. There is always a different bounce than what other players can make on this surface. He creates a doubt that you can’t have if you want to beat him.”

Wawrinka, No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings will put on his grass-court shoes in a few days as he competes next at the Aegon Championships in London, which starts 19 June. Wawrinka has hired Paul Annacone for the grass-court season in a bid to prevail at Wimbledon, the lone Grand Slam he has yet to win.
“I want to progress and make strides. I'm very happy with my team and all the people who are around me. But we had some discussions in order to get a new vision and another view of my game. That's why we have decided to turn to Paul,” said Wawrinka. “He has a lot of experience, so I hope that I will move in the right direction.”

Tennis - Magnus Norman, the coach of Stan Wawrinka, says he does not consider himself to be the best coach in the world, instead he sees himself as somewhat of a generalist, who combines his knowledge of tennis, nutrition, health, technique, tactics and fitness.

In an interview to The Telegraph, Norman says, "I don’t think I am the best coach in the world. I see myself more as a generalist, I know a little bit about tennis [he did reach No 2 in the world as a player] but I also know a little bit about nutrition, health, technique, tactics, fitness.

I blend everything together. But most of it is in the head.” Norman added that neither he nor Wawrinka were aiming for Grand Slams when they joined forces, rather they were looking to maximise the Swiss' potential.

"I don’t think either of us ever thought we would be winning grand slam tournaments. But I felt like Stan was a great guy, a good personality. I knew he had potential because I was coaching against him a few times.

But he wasn’t winning important matches. I think Stan said it best himself. When he was asked what I brought to his tennis, he said, ‘Magnus made me a winner’. But it was a lot of luck as well, of course. He had put in many years of hard work and then maybe I came in and said a few things that worked.” Norman also added that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are playing much better now than they did a decade ago. "For sure Rafa is playing better now than 10 years ago.

And the same with Roger. You look at pictures from then and they play further back, they play slower. When I played, five years before that, we were also hitting the ball quite hard, but now they’re moving better, taking the ball early, taking time away from the opponent.

Stan Wawrinka is seeded fifth at the All England Club
As the tennis world descends on the All England Club for the 2017 Wimbledon Championships, the top four seeds of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have grabbed the headlines. The quartet are the only former champions to feature at the grass-court Grand Slam.
Relishing his under-the-radar status, Stan Wawrinka is looking to crash the party in his quest to claim a slice of history of his own. The Swiss, seeded fifth, will etch his name in the records books with a Wimbledon crown, as the latest player to secure the Career Grand Slam. He would become the ninth player in history to achieve the monumental feat and just the second to do so at SW19, joining Roy Emerson (1964).
Despite being on the precipice of such a significant achievement, Wawrinka is downplaying any pressure to claim the elusive title.
"For the players who have done that, it's something amazing, for sure," said Wawrinka to the assembled media on Saturday at the All England Club. "But for me it's not something I think about it.
"[Wimbledon] is for sure one of the most famous, one of the most special ones for many, many reasons. Because of the history of the tennis and because it's one of the only times you can play on grass. It's always really special for any player to come back and play here."
Most Consecutive Grand Slam Appearances (active streaks through Wimbledon 2017)
Player
Streak Tournament Started
Feliciano Lopez
62
2002 Roland Garros
Fernando Verdasco
57
2003 Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic
51
2005 Australian Open
Stan Wawrinka
50
2005 Roland Garros
Victory at Wimbledon would cement Wawrinka's place among the all-time greats for another special reason, as the Swiss would ascend to No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The World No. 3 is in the midst of an impressive 52-week stretch that has seen him lift the trophies at the US Open and in his home tournament of Geneva, as well as finish runner-up at Roland Garros and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
High on confidence and with the addition of Paul Annacone to his team, Wawrinka says he looking forward to what should be an exciting fortnight in SW19.
"I think it's going to be a really interesting Wimbledon, that's for sure," he added. "It's been like that since the beginning of the year. Roger is playing so well, Rafa is so confident and Murray is struggling a little bit, but he loves the grass, so he's going to be for sure really dangerous. I just think it's going to be a great Wimbledon.
"I think it's great to have Paul with Magnus here. For me it's more about my game in general. We always try to improve, always try to find things that I can improve and change in my game. It's been great so far. I'm really happy with him. We're looking forward to starting here in Wimbledon."
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Wawrinka will have to earn the trophy, with a tough path ahead of him on the grass. The 32 year old opens against #NextGenATP star Daniil Medvedev and could face former World No. 2 Tommy Haas in the second round. Medvedev is coming off a semi-final run at the Aegon International in Eastbourne, while Haas recently upset Federer at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart.
Top seed Murray, 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and 20th seed Nick Kyrgios also reside in his quarter of the draw, with the defending champion a potential quarter-final opponent.
"I'm always trying to improve, be at my top in any tournament. The best feeling in tennis is to win a trophy. Doesn't matter which tournaments you play, you always look and try for that. So far, in general I'm really happy with the last few years. I think I've been playing amazing tennis. So let's see what's going to happen."