Djokovic claims Wawrinka is seriously underrated; foreign media reveal Alcaraz attempted to invite Murray to replace Ferrero last year

Let's focus on two tennis news updates. Today, Serbian tennis star Djokovic spoke up in an interview defending his old rival Wawrinka, attracting public attention. Additionally, Spanish media disclosed that Alcaraz’s team had tried last year to recruit Murray as a coach to replace Ferrero.

Recently, Djokovic voiced support for his longtime rival Wawrinka in an interview, bluntly stating that the Swiss star’s accomplishments are severely underestimated.

“Wawrinka hasn’t received the recognition he deserves as a three-time Grand Slam champion. People have forgotten him and all that he has achieved. His accomplishments surpass those of over 90% of tennis players in history,” Djokovic said.

It’s worth noting this is not the first time Djokovic has praised Wawrinka highly in interviews. Back in the 2016 US Open final, after losing to Wawrinka, he remarked that Wawrinka “should be considered the fifth member of the Big Four.”

Wawrinka’s three Grand Slam titles are highly valuable, each earned by defeating the world number one at the time in the final. In the 2014 Australian Open, he defeated Nadal; in the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open, he twice beat Djokovic. Such outstanding performances on big stages earned him the nickname “a man born for the big moments.”

However, despite also holding three Grand Slam titles, Murray is widely recognized as part of the “Big Four,” while Wawrinka is usually excluded from this group.

This distinction mainly stems from overall career consistency and comprehensive achievements: Murray has won 14 Masters titles, 1 year-end championship, 2 Olympic gold medals, and has been ranked world number one; in contrast, Wawrinka has only 1 Masters title and lacks year-end or Olympic championships.

One netizen pointed out: “Although Wawrinka has the same number of Grand Slam titles as Murray, the gap between them in Masters titles and total championships is huge. Moreover, Murray truly competed against Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, frequently reaching Grand Slam semifinals alongside the other three. The only pity is that he was somewhat unlucky in finals, collecting many runner-up finishes, but his strength is undeniable! He deserves to be part of the Big Four!”

Another user analyzed from a historical perspective: “Wawrinka’s three Grand Slam wins were all taken from the Big Four at their peak, which makes them very valuable. The 2015 French Open victory directly ended Djokovic’s dream of a calendar Grand Slam.”

While Djokovic defended Wawrinka, Spanish media Punto de Break revealed news related to another three-time Grand Slam winner, Andy Murray. According to reports, Alcaraz’s team hoped in 2024 to hire Murray to replace Ferrero as coach.

However, this plan did not come to fruition. In November 2024, Djokovic announced on social media that he had hired Murray as his new coach. Their collaboration lasted six months, ending in May 2025.

Regarding the news that Alcaraz’s team once intended to invite Murray as coach, fans focused more on the potential impact of this pairing: “If Murray had coached Alcaraz last year, it might have brought different tactical ideas, especially for grass and hard court matches.”

Some fans also commented, “It seems the Alcaraz family’s dissatisfaction with Ferrero has existed for a long time but only surfaced this year. However, it’s not too late for them to work together now; Ferrero just left, Samuel alone in the team is hard to manage, and Murray happens to be available. The whole situation is quite promising!”

Wawrinka’s evaluation and Alcaraz’s future — perhaps only time can provide the best answers. What do you think? Feel free to share your opinions in the comment section.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)