Stanislas Wawrinka has defeated Swiss compatriot Roger Federer 4-6 7-6 6-2 to win the Monte Carlo Masters.
It was just Wawrinka’s second win over his close friend in 15 career meetings and his first title at the Masters level. His last win over Federer came at the same venue in 2009.
Australian Open champion Wawrinka also held on to his world number three ranking as a result of his success in two hours, 13 minutes. Federer would have taken the third spot with a victory at one of the three Masters events he has not won.
It was the first all-Swiss final on the ATP since 2000, when the teenaged Federer lost to Marc Rosset in Marseille.
Wawrinka, who fired 33 winners on Sunday, lost his previous two Masters finals – in Rome in 2008 to Novak Djokovic and last year in Madrid to Rafael Nadal.
The title was Wawrinka’s third of the year after trophies at Chennai and Melbourne in January.
“It’s been an incredible week for me,” said Wawrinka. “To finally win a Masters 1000 is unbelievable.
“Roger has done incredible things in his career, he’s the best of all-time for me. It was an honour to play him in the final and to win.”
Wawrinka added that he hoped he and Federer can share glory later this year with their Swiss team already through to the Davis Cup semi-finals.
“I hope this will be a fine year for Switzerland,” he said.
Switzerland’s Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi sat in the Federer box with no complaints from Wawrinka.
“It was a good week for me,” said Federer, now 0-4 in Monte Carlo finals after losing three to Nadal 2006-2008.
“I’m not really disappointed since it was Stan I lost against.”
Federer added: “Stan, it was an incredible week for you. I hope you will continue like this for the years to come.”
The Swiss pair, who won Olympic doubles gold at Beijing in 2008, hugged after Wawrinka’s victory which delivered the seventh title of his career.
Wawrinka lost the opening set but roared to life in the second with a break to start, though Federer quickly got it back.
The set went into a tiebreaker, which Wawrinka controlled to level the match.
Wawrinka started the third with a 4-0 led from two breaks of serve and claimed the victory on the first of two match points as Federer tried and failed to close the gap.
Wawrinka now stands 20-3 on the season while Federer leads the ATP with 27 victories.
