Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka forged a notable rivalry on the ATP Tour. Two great rivals embraced 22 duels between 2007 and 2019, with the Spaniard celebrating in 19. Stan’s three wins over Rafa came in 2014 and 2015, and he remembers one of them vividly.
The Spaniard had beaten the Swiss 12 times in a row before suffering the first defeat in the 2014 Australian Open final. A year later, they met in the Rome Masters quarter-final, and Wawrinka earned his first and only clay-court triumph against the greatest player on that surface.
Stan toppled Rafa 7-6, 6-2 in two hours and six minutes. He performed a marvelous comeback in the opener and broke the legend’s resistance in set number two for a notable victory he still recalls.
Stan Wawrinka, Rome Masters 2015© Stream screenshot
Wawrinka outplays Nadal at Foro Italico
The Swiss overcame a 6-2 deficit in the tie break of the opening set, rattling off seven of eight points and stealing the set. He used that boost in the second set and sailed over the top in straight sets for a place in the semi-final. Stan served at only 57%, drawing the most from that.
He defended seven of nine break points and outplayed Nadal behind the second serve. Rafa got broken four times from seven opportunities presented to his rival. Wawrinka landed 25 winners and 32 unforced errors, rushing to the net 30 times and keeping the points on his racquet.
Rafa finished the duel on an 18-23 ratio and missed his chances on the return, including all five break points in the second set. Stan built the advantage in the shortest exchanges. Nadal erased the deficit a bit in the mid-range ones but trailed in the most extended ones.
Rafael Nadal, Roma Masters 2015© Stream screenshot
Stan saves four set points, steals the opening set
The first part of the duel lasted an hour and 15 minutes and went down to the wire. The king of clay made a reliable start. He converted the third break point in the first game of the duel after a crafty drop shot for an early advantage. Wawrinka pulled the break back in the second game for 1-1.
The Swiss closed the third game at 15 and earned a break chance in the next one. The Spaniard saved it with a forehand winner and locked the result at 2-2 with a service winner. Stan missed a chance to create a break point in the sixth game, and Rafa closed it with a smash winner.
Rafael Nadal & Stan Wawrinka, Rome Masters 2015© Stream screenshot
Nadal stepped in on the return in game seven, welcoming the rival’s forehand error and delivering a break for a 4-3 lead. A left-hander denied a break point in the eighth game with a service winner before Wawrinka cracked a forehand down the line winner on the second for 4-4.
They served well in the next four games, with Rafa presenting a hold at love at 5-6 to introduce a tie break. Rafa landed a forehand winner for 3-2 and painted a cracking backhand down the line winner two points later for 5-2. Stan sprayed a backhand error in the eighth point, facing four set points.
The Swiss kept his composure and defended them, locking the result at 6-6 with a winner at the net. The Swiss landed another volley winner, taking five straight points and earning a set point. Nadal erased it with a valiant forehand winner, leveling the score at 5-5.
Still, Wawrinka landed a booming forehand down the line winner. Thus, he moved 8-7 in front and seized the second set point with a forced error for 7-6 after an hour and 15 minutes!
Stan Wawrinka, Rome Masters 2015© Stream screenshot
Wawrinka downs Nadal in set number two
Rafa made a fresh start to the second set, landing a volley winner at the net for a hold at love. Stan grabbed the second game at 15 and created a break chance in the next one after the rival’s loose forehand. Nadal denied it with a service winner but faced the second.
Wawrinka converted it with a forehand down the line return winner, opening a set and a break advantage and gaining a massive boost. The Swiss held after a deuce in the fourth game, attacking and closing it with a forehand winner for a 3-1 advantage.
Rafa experienced another blow in the fifth game. He wasted a game point and netted a forehand to suffer another break and fall 4-1 behind. Stan defended four break points in the sixth game, holding after over nine minutes and forging a 5-1 lead.
Rafael Nadal, Rome Masters 2015© Stream screenshot
The Spaniard served to stay in the match in the seventh game and painted a forehand down the line winner to prolong the action. Nadal made one last push on the return at 2-5, generating a break point. Wawrinka erased it with a service winner and hit a volley winner for a match point.
The Swiss sealed the deal with a forehand down the line winner, celebrating his second victory over the Spaniard and the first on clay.
“Playing Rafa is always challenging, especially on clay. I lost to him many times. I raised my level in Rome 2015 and finally beat him on his favorite surface, which was very special,” Stan Wawrinka said.