In 2015 Stan Wawrinka started a year that would result in his winning a Grand Slam title by taking the Chennai title. He has started 2016 by retaining that title, winning the final against Borna Coric of Croatia 6-3, 7-5 .
The top seed and World. no.4 got off to a slow start, forced to defend a pair of break points in his first service game. The Swiss saved both however, escaping with his serve intact. Wawrinka forced deuce in Coric’s first service game, but could not force the break opportunity. The break did come in game six though, Wawrinka breaking to fifteen as he made inroads against the Coric serve. Coric responded by furiously forcing another break chance, only to be denied once again. Coric missed a fourth chance when he failed to return a Wawrinka serve. A total of three break points came and went for Coric in the game immediately after he was broken.
Both men held their serves once more each, with Wawrinka’s hold ensuring that he took the first set.
A rash forehand error from Coric gave Wawrinka a bright start to game three of the second set, but some aggressive net play put the Croatian in a good position. Sloppy errors once again crept back in though, and Coric was forced to prevent a break with a unreturned serve. More good net play saw Coric hold.
Coric was in trouble again in game nine, when Wawrinka won the first point. This time, Coric double-faulted to hand Wawrinka love-thirty. Wawrinka then missed two service returns for thirty-all. Wawrinka missed when attempting a angles cross-court backhand and the chance was gone.
Wawrinka though, undeterred by his close effort of the last game, held quickly, and earned multiple break points at five-all. Wawrinka then lined up a backhand down the line, and the top seed served for the title, holding to love to start 2016 as he did 2015, in style.
Wawrinka will be seeded fourth at the Australian Open, the tournament he won in 2014. Coric will move up in the rankings, but too late to win a seeding. This means he could potentially face any seeded player in the first round.
