Form and rankings suggest Stanislas Wawrinka is ready to emerge from countryman Roger Federer’s giant shadow, but in his mind he’ll always be the Swiss No.2.
Wawrinka’s world ranking sits at a career high of No.8 and he’s fresh from a tournament win in Chennai on Sunday.
Federer, meanwhile, fell out of the top five for the first time in more than a decade last year and the winner of 17 grand slam singles titles is clearly past his peak.
He’s currently ranked No.6, after losing Sunday’s Brisbane International final to Lleyton Hewitt.
With 28-year-old Wawrinka more than three years Federer’s junior, it’s possible he’ll soon overtake his compatriot in the rankings.
But it’s not a milestone he’s keenly anticipating.
“That’s not important at all for me,” Wawrinka told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.
“I will always be No.2 after Roger.
“He’s the top player, he’s the greatest player ever.
“I still think I’m lucky to be playing in the same (era) as him.”
Wawrinka – who nearly blasted eventual winner Novak Djokovic out of the Australian Open in the fourth round last year – doesn’t expect his rise to continue automatically.
“It was already a big year for me finishing No.8. To get higher in the rankings is really tough,” he said.
Wawrinka played some brilliant tennis at Melbourne Park last year, particularly in his five-hour five-setter against Djokovic, who survived and went on to win the event for a fourth time.
The Swiss reached his first grand slam semi-final in August at the US Open, but again fell to Djokovic in five sets.
Wawrinka will prepare for this year’s Australian Open by playing in the Kooyong Classic, which starts on Wednesday.