Stanislas Wawrinka has admitted that he is still trying to process his new status as a Grand Slam champion after winning the Australian Open on Sunday.
The 28-year-old appeared to be in disbelief following his 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 victory over Rafael Nadal in a dramatic final yesterday that saw the Swiss win his first-ever Major.
Wawrinka, who was reunited with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup at a photo shoot by the Yarra river on Monday morning, insists that he never considered himself a potential Grand Slam winner and that he would only know if it was all real when he woke up.
"It still feels like a dream because it's a Grand Slam title so it's something that's just amazing for me," said Wawrinka, who had closed his press conference on Sunday by saying: "There's a big chance I'll get drunk tonight".
"It's just good to wake up with that trophy. I didn't get much sleep. I was with my team, some friends, family, we celebrated a little bit and enjoyed the moment. We came back late but that's a good problem to have."
Wawrinka will climb from eight to three when the ATP world rankings are updated later on Monday, behind only Nadal and Novak Djokovic and ahead of the likes of compatriot Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
Matt Cotton
