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Novak Djokovic not blaming fatigue for French Open final defeat to Stan Wawrinka

Novak Djokovic reacts after his match against Stan Wawrinka at the 2015 French Open
Image: Novak Djokovic: His French Open hopes were ended by Stan Wawrinka

Novak Djokovic praised his opponent Stan Wawrinka after the world No 1 suffered a shock four-set defeat to the Swiss star in the French Open final on Sunday.

The Serb was the hot favourite going into the contest but the eighth-seeded outsider Wawrinka, after an average start, went for the throat and hit a flurry of winners to claim his second major with a 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 win.

Eight-times Grand Slam champion Djokovic was looking to complete his set of majors and the odds were with him after he beat Spaniard Rafa Nadal in the quarter-finals and British third seed Andy Murray, undefeated on clay this season until then, in the semis.

Djokovic himself was 16-0 this year on the slow surface, but found the 2014 Australian Open champion in inspired form on Court Philippe Chatrier.

"One thing is for sure there are two players who want this trophy, not just me," he told a news conference after Sunday's defeat. "Some people wanted to create a story where it's just me. It feels like (people thought) I was the only player who wants to win this trophy.

"I'm not trying to release the pressure, it's part of what I do, but today I went on the court knowing I'm close but across the net there was a player who wanted to win and had not much to lose."

One of the best

More from French Open 2015

Stan Wawrinka against Novak Djokovic at the 2015 French Open final
Image: Wawrinka has one of the best one-handed backhands in the game

Wawrinka showed he was indeed also hungry for victory by going for his shots all along, hitting twice as many winners (60 to 30).

And, fittingly, yet another finished the match and allowed the 30-year-old Wawrinka, so long in the shadow of his Swiss Davis Cup team-mate and good friend Roger Federer, to add to the championship he won in Melbourne.

When Djokovic received the silver plate given to the losing finalist, the spectators gave him an unusually long ovation. Djokovic shook his head and his eyes welled with tears.

"Obviously it was not easy to stand there as a runner-up again," said Djokovic, who entered with a 28-match winning streak, "but I lost to a better player who played some courageous tennis.

"He has one of the best one-handed backhands that I have seen in tennis.

"I probably could have played better in some moments, more aggressive. It wasn't easy conditions but still, he took his chances whenever they were presented.

"He just played some really good tactical tennis and also very aggressive shots in some break points, like at four-all in the fourth, the winner passing shot down the line. All I can do is to say, 'well done'. He deserves it."

Obviously was not easy to stand there as a runner-up again, but I lost to a better player who played some courageous tennis.
Djokovic on Wawrinka

No excuses

Andy Murray (L) congratulates Novak Djokovic
Image: Djokovic was taken to five sets by Andy Murray

Djokovic came up short against Nadal in the 2012 and 2014 finals, but he cleared that hurdle this year, defeating the nine-time champion in the quarter-finals before ending Murray's dream in a two-day, five-set semi-final that concluded on Saturday afternoon.

"I don't want to come up with excuses, saying these two matches took a lot out of me," Djokovic said.

"I don't think that's fair to Stan. I don't think that's fair to sit here and whine about now what has happened. Certainly those two matches were very big in terms of physical demand and mental, emotional, as well.

"But, still, I was today feeling pretty fresh as much as I could. I was ready to go out and fight, and I have done so.

"Maybe in some important moments I didn't feel I had that explosiveness in the legs, but at the end of the day he was just a better player."

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