“It’s Disrespectful to compare me with Andy Murray”: Stan Wawrinka Sends Serious Warning to Andy Murray
Stan Wawrinka, the esteemed Swiss tennis veteran, has expressed his discontent with being compared to Andy Murray and the other members of the illustrious ‘Big Four’. Wawrinka believes that the accomplishments of Murray, along with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, far surpass his own.
Throughout an impressive career spanning from 2003 to 2024, Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, and Murray collectively amassed an incredible 69 Grand Slam titles, a feat that has rightfully earned them the nickname ‘Fab Four’. Djokovic leads the tally with 24 major titles, closely followed by Nadal with 22 and Federer also with 24. In contrast, Murray secured three titles during this golden era of modern tennis.
Though Wawrinka has also clinched three Grand Slam titles during his career, he finds himself reluctant to be categorized alongside them, often finding himself dubbed the fifth wheel in the so-called ‘Big Five’. Sharing his thoughts on the Nothing Major podcast, he stated, “I got bothered when they called it ‘The Big Five’ or they put me close to . I’m miles away from what they achieved.” He added, “I think it’s a little bit disrespectful to them, and especially to Andy. I achieved way more than I could have dreamed in my career but I’m so far away from what they’ve been doing.”
As the tennis world has witnessed the retirements of Roger Federer, , and Andy Murray, Wawrinka continues to compete on the ATP circuit alongside Novak Djokovic. Notably, Murray has transitioned into a coaching role within Djokovic’s entourage, accompanying the Serbian player at the Australian Open, where he retired midway through his semi-final match against .
Wawrinka faced a first-round exit at Melbourne Park, suffering a defeat against with a final score of 4-6, 7-5, 5-7, 5-7. At the age of 39, Wawrinka boasts 16 career singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of three in the world. Meanwhile, Murray has celebrated 46 titles and ascended to the pinnacle of the rankings during his career.
In their last encounter, Wawrinka triumphed over Murray at the French Open, marking the Brit’s final Grand Slam appearance. Historically, in head-to-head matchups, Murray leads Wawrinka 13 to 10, highlighting the distinctions in their respective tennis careers.
Despite the competitive nature of their sport, both Wawrinka and Murray have maintained a mutual respect for one another on and off the court.
