Murray, Wawrinka Defy The Odds For Rematch

Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka will be the first to admit that much of their clay seasons didn’t meet their lofty standards, but they’ve raised their games at the right moment for a rematch on Friday at Roland Garros.

Murray defeated the 2015 champion in four sets at this very round last year, but the rematch is one some tennis critics may not have predicted at the start of the fortnight. Murray arrived in Paris with a 4-4 record on clay this year and lost before the quarter-finals in three of his four events on the dirt. Dropping sets in his first two matches this fortnight to Andrey Kuznetsov and Martin Klizan didn’t do much to fuel optimism, but he has fully turned the corner.

He bageled longtime rival Juan Martin del Potro in the third round and then scored a convincing win two days later over #NextGenATP player Karen Khachanov. On Wednesday, he started slow and finished strong in hammering 31 winners to defeat Kei Nishikori in a four-set quarter-final.

“I came in playing garbage,” joked Murray. “If someone had offered me a semi-final spot before the tournament, I would have signed up for that because I was not playing well at all. And practice also was not good. It's been really good so far. I want to keep going.”

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Meanwhile, Wawrinka started his clay season with a tame 2-3 record, but now sports a nine-match win streak on the dirt. He retained his title on home soil in Geneva (d. Zverev) before storming into the final four in Paris without dropping a set. His mental toughness has been on full display by saving three set points in his first-round win over qualifier Josef Kovalik, and another trio of set points in a third round victory over Fabio Fognini.

But while Wawrinka admits his game may have betrayed him at the beginning of the clay season, his motivation never did.

“I never give up. I work hard. I try to do what's right. I listen to my team members. And sometimes I lose. Your confidence goes down, and then you have to work hard again to rebuild your confidence,” said Wawrinka. “I'm here now. I'm playing really well and very happy with how things have gone so far. I'm very calm and extremely confident about my game.”

Murray leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Wawrinka 10-7 and has won their past two matches, including a round-robin contest at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals in London. He’ll also take heart in knowing his victory over Wawrinka last year came under similar circumstances. The Swiss star soared into the final four while Murray struggled in several of his matches, but the Brit dug deep for a hard-fought win.

However, Wawrinka said the loss last year will have no bearing on how he approaches their battle on Friday.

“I remember he was playing better than me, but it’s a different year,” said Wawrinka. “I think he's struggling a little bit since the beginning of the year, but he's in the semi-final. So a champion like him, when they find a way to win matches, they play better and better. I expect him to play his best tennis.”

Grand Slam finals reached (Open Era)

Both Murray and Wawrinka are aiming to reach their second Roland Garros final and become the 20^th man in the Open Era to reach the final here on multiple occasions. Should Murray win, he’d become the seventh man in the Open Era to reach all four major finals at least twice. At 32 years and 75 days, Wawrinka is seeking to become the oldest finalist in Paris since Niki Pilic (33 years, 280 days) in 1973.

They've also both earned three Grand Slam titles in perhaps the toughest era in tennis history. A fourth major trophy would be highly significant for their tennis legacies.

But for both men, the flattering milestones won’t mean as much as achieving a place in another Grand Slam final.

“I don't think we need extra motivation. When you arrive in the semi-final of a Grand Slam, the motivation is quite high,” said Wawrinka. “It’s always a great challenge to play the World No. 1 in a Grand Slam. It’s going to be a great match.”