As far as celebrity matchups go, fans have seen many partnerships and duels over the years. From the Roger Federer-Bill Gates team to the Rafael Nadal-Trevor Noah group, celebrities have tried hard to cut a serious face and perform well in front of elite tennis players.
Stan Wawrinka, a grand slam champion and former world no. 3, had to face a different kind of tennis challenge when he faced off against a TV show host in a battle where one’s tennis talent was put to the test in a digital medium.
Jimmy Fallon’s epic victory over Wawrinka
“We are going to play tennis the old-fashioned way with the Nintendo WII,” celebrity talk show host Jimmy Fallon quipped as he faced off against Stan Wawrinka in a doubles match in the gaming device.
Stan Wawrinka was hilariously off-colour in his tennis abilities as the very first serve from Jimmy beat him for an ace. Stan tried hard but found it tough to co-ordinate his physical abilities with a joystick the size of a banana. Balls flew past his digital counterpart before he even moved his hand.
Jimmy was having the time of his life by cheekily celebrating in front of Stan’s face and the Swiss was in splits over his epic failure to play the sport that was his profession. Aptly, the final point was an ace that had Jimmy on his knees in celebration and Stan trying to cover his face in embarrassment.
Unfortunately for Stan Wawrinka, his ability to smash forehands and slice backhands on the tennis court didn’t translate well onto the television screen but he can hold his head up high, knowing that when push comes to shove and the match is on the court, he will ace the test.
How many Grand Slams does Stan Wawrinka have?
Stan Wawrinka has won three grand slam titles to date: the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open. In each event, he defeated the reigning world no. 1, Rafael Nadal once and Novak Djokovic twice, respectively.
In Melbourne in 2014, he thwarted Nadal’s attempt to become the first active player to achieve two titles at a single grand slam, a feat that was later achieved by Djokovic and then Nadal himself.
He also became the second player since 2005 outside the Big Four to win a grand slam title.
In 2015, he denied Djokovic a career grand slam at the French Open and in 2016, after winning the US Open, he remained the only player to defeat Djokovic in Djokovic’s twelve Grand Slam finals.
“I never dreamed of winning a Grand Slam. Because I’ve always thought that I wasn’t as good as those who were there. I saw them all on TV. For me, those who win Grand Slams are monsters. There’s a lot of emotion during the ceremony, but it’s all the same, I don’t show it. Except, perhaps, when I lift the cup. Because, after all, that’s THE moment,” Wawrinka said in 2016.
Did you find Wawrinka’s loss to Jimmy Fallon hilarious? Let us know in the comments section below.
