The era of the ‘Big 3’ is ending as Roger Federer has retired and Rafael Nadal is on hiatus for now. Novak Djokovic is still dominating the play, but the epic rivalry and skill these three players possess inspired many of the present-generation players. The ‘Big 3’ has influenced various players, from ATP No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to the 90th seed Alexei Popyrin. The young generation has their likes in Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, too, as they are among the few players who beat all the three 20-plus Grand Slam singles champions

In the final match at Plava Laguna Croatia Open, Popyrin stunned the world with the incredible feat he achieved against the player he grew up watching.

Stan Wawrinka was honored by his opponent as the Aussie idolized him

The final match of the ‘Croatian Open’ witnessed the battle between Popyrin and Wawrinka. People did not think twice to pick their favorite, as the Swiss star had earned 16 tour-level titles while the Australian had only one. But who knew that this match would be a turning point in the Aussie’s career as he beat Wawrinka in the finals.

In the post-match interview, Popyrin revealed that he was at a loss for words over his victory against one of the best players in tennis. The Australian said, “It’s an unbelievable honor to play someone like Stan in a final. I grew up watching him, Roger, Rafa, & Novak play. To play him in a final & beat him.. words can’t describe how happy I am. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

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The 90th seed won the match in the epic third-set thriller, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4. He even suffered cramps during the 4th game of the decider set, but he did not let his physical obstacle overcome his mental toughness. However, it was a close call for Wawrinka to beat a record achieved by Federer had he won the final.

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A lost opportunity for Wawrinka to surpass the record set by Roger Federer

The Swiss Maestro has achieved a total of 103 titles in his career. He achieved his final title at ‘Swiss Indoors Basel’ when he was 38 years and 2 months old. Wawrinka is 2 months older than Federer, and he would have overpowered his compatriot if he had claimed the title. It has been over 6 years since the former number 3 had won a title.

‘Stanimal’ became emotional after his loss to Popyrin as he has been looking for an outstanding comeback. But he did not let his disappointment stop him from praising his young opponent. He praised his 15 years junior for his triumph and stated that he deserved the Croatian Open title. It was the 2nd title of the upcoming player, and he rose to 57h rank in the Pepperstone ATP ranking.

The three times Grand Slam winner advised the Aussie to keep going and pushing. He also hoped to return to play in the tournament next year. He won his first career title in the same tournament in 2006 when Djokovic retired due to respiratory problems. Wawrinka was unseeded and 21 years old, younger than Popyrin, who is now 23 years old.

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