Twitter Reacts to #Stanimal Victory over the Djoker

This match was hyped to the high heavens. ESPN had at least two different extended promos for it, with footage from their epic AO match last year and quotes from both Wawrinka and Djokovic about their upcoming EPIC PART DEUX!!!! We got close-ups of Stan’s soulful eyes and slow-mos of Nole ripping his shirt off. Would the Swiss star be sent home in tears again? Would little Stanley slay his Goliath opponent finally?

Don’t miss: “Australian Open Champion, Stanislas Wawrinka: Pics, Quotes, and Love from the Players!”

Cue the dramatic music!!

Looking forward to Djokovic vs Wawrinka tonight! Here’s a mini movie to wet your appetite. Hope you enjoy. #ESPNAO http://t.co/Hl3D8orDBr

— Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) January 21, 2014

Since the guys actually went five sets at the USO as well, surely this must be THE MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT!!! Anything less wouldn’t do. Even another Swiss player got into the act. You know, that Roger guy, friend and doubles partner of Stan the Man? Or as Rog likes to call him:

Watching night session QF at #happyslam it doesn’t get much better then this! pic.twitter.com/8YuqUcQami

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) January 21, 2014

No pressure, Stan. Really, no pressure at all. I mean, it’s not like everyone SAYING a match is going to be epic and that you have an excellent chance of causing the upset isn’t the biggest jinx ever. But don’t worry, the pre-glory of the match was soon replaced by Teh Dramaz. There were rumors of a distressing nature…

I heard Stan injured his ankle in practice actually. Must be what that is…….#didiscareanyone #Imsorry

— Kareem (@Kareemerer) January 21, 2014

And then Stan himself posted this:

Getting ready … @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/k4vbSXNFrc

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) January 21, 2014

And fans kinda freaked out. Stanley came out in the match a little bit flat, not going for his shots in that zinging way he does when he’s in the zone. Built to the pinnacles of expectation, Twitter reacted with depression.

@dootsiez I don’t see this going 5 at all, maybe 4 sets at best and djoko takes it, Last two 5 set matches played would be burden i think

— LJ (@LJology) January 21, 2014

Djokovic is just too good though. Sucks I wanted Wawrinka to win

— Adam Phillippy (@AdamPhillippy) January 21, 2014

Maybe there is a Swiss brain too. Fudd has finally wrestled it back from Stan and is not giving it up ever again.

— ton skeel (@naughtyT) January 21, 2014

Then, as Eddie Izzard would say, someone poked the badger with a spoon. Or something like that. Either way, Stan found his inner Stanimal and started cranking backhand beauties that make entire stadiums gasp and scream in unison. And even ecstasy. Not that I would know anything about that. *eyedart*

holy Toledo the Stanimal has totally turned this match around with the Djoker, can he pull the stunner upset now ?

— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) January 21, 2014

Yes, Stan, this is how I feel right now too. #ausopen pic.twitter.com/RpHAsPffGl

— Katie Bee (@breakpointsaved) January 21, 2014

Up two sets to one, Twitter was going crazy. Nole fans were tearing at their shirts, and not at what they consider a fun way, and Stan fans were collectively holding their breath, hoping their hero was finally going to scale that Djokovic mountain. Or beat it down to pulp, as it were..

Now remember, Stan, it ain’t over till it’s over with Nole. You have to bring out your biggest mallet to win this match.

— Tennis Inside Out (@TennisInsideOut) January 21, 2014

At this crucial time, Twitter was surprised to see Rafael Nadal make an appearance, tweeting a few random thank yous to fans….including Fed fans…

Thanks @Abd_fed! I hope you enjoy the next match!

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 21, 2014

Tweets from top players often cause a stir, and no one wants a stir on their timeline when they’re stressing over every point of another top player’s match.

Rafa doing the Twitter equivalent of an intentional photo bomb right now…

— Tennis Inside Out (@TennisInsideOut) January 21, 2014

But let us not debate the dubious motivations of Rafa’s PR team, and instead return to our story.

Ah, where were we? Well, Nole roared and screamed and hit frightening angles and won himself the fourth set. We were going five, once again.

And going in five! Please not again a heartbreaker lost for Stan..

— Lisa (BE18EVE) (@lisawawrinka) January 21, 2014

There it is #Djokovic fighting his way through…Stan set for more heartbreak #AusOpen The Nearly Guy!

— Sanj (@sanj06) January 21, 2014

Momentum see-sawed in the 5th, and Stan fans got that pit of dread in their stomach when it looked like Nole was going to break Stan again…

At 3-3 deuce in the fifth set, Stan Wawrinka cranks one at 136 mph down the tee, his fastest of the match. #ausopen

— Beyond The Baseline (@SI_BTBaseline) January 21, 2014

Pretty sure Wawrinka drives a manual car, because the serving to get out of that game was absolutely CLUTCH. #ausopen

— Matt Johnson (@matte_johnson) January 21, 2014

And sometimes the sequel is a worthy follow up to the original…

— Chris P (@scoobschris) January 21, 2014

Twitter was out of their minds. There was gasping. And heaving. And lots of virtual wringing of hands. And then, deep into the tense action in the fifth set…we had a bit of an interlude…

Locusts. Vermin. Rain at 5-all in the fifth. Oh my.

— Josh Meiseles (@jmeistennis) January 21, 2014

They’re back, the rain stopped, Stan’s chair broke. #Drama | LIVE SCORES: http://t.co/RzXEJFJou0 #7Sport #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/mEBBEyTTrA

— 7Sport (@7Sport) January 21, 2014

17th ace of the match for Wawrinka says Chris Fowler as Stan holds for 6-5 with one serve after rain delay

— Randy Walker (@TennisPublisher) January 21, 2014

It was terrifyingly tense for Stan lovers, let me tell you. That mallet for Djokovic did not seem to be quite big enough. Even Stan’s BFF was shouting,,.

ALLEZ STAN!!!!!!!!!!!! #fight #5set #victoire #mytho #LATEAM

— paire benoit (@benoitpaire) January 21, 2014

Perhaps strengthened by the collective intensity of Twitter FEELS, Stan held and held, and then there it was…he had his chance at 8-7 in the 5th.

Match point and team Stan Wawrinka. 🙂 #ausopen pic.twitter.com/EMsO1i3fSR

— Kishore Sharma (@KishoreRF) January 21, 2014

Nole’s volley sailed out and our champion prevailed.

Stan the Man, everyone. #standingovation RT @stanwawrinka … @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/sOGvyv9NoT

— Katie Bee (@breakpointsaved) January 21, 2014

What a match. #djokovic #wawrinka #ausopen pic.twitter.com/rwEXeIZSpS

— The Slice (@TheSliceTweets) January 21, 2014

WE LOVE YOU STANLEY WE DO WE LOVE YOU STANLEY WE DO

— ♚ #BEL18VE ♚ (@TennisFangirl) January 21, 2014

“The Stanimal” is trending worldwide right now, ha ha. #Twitter pic.twitter.com/taqwLtonYL

— Erik Gudris (@ATNtennis) January 21, 2014

I am crying for Stan. He finally did it. OH MY GAAAHHHH

— Aurora (@scorpio1641) January 21, 2014

Crying for Stan 😀

— jon townend (@jontownend1) January 21, 2014

Yes, even me…

OMG, I am choked up, crying, clapping like an insane person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Tennis Inside Out (@TennisInsideOut) January 21, 2014

And the man who brought us “#Stanimal” was there…

So deserving for Stan the man #nevergiveup #whatamatch #sohappy

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) January 21, 2014

And the men who helped Stan BE #Stanimal…

Amazing effort tonite from #Stan. He really deserved that one. Me and Il Capitano Seve very happy:) @swiss_tennis pic.twitter.com/FVGMPpLOLQ

— Magnus Norman (@normansweden) January 21, 2014

While everyone cheered, wept, and drank heavily in celebration of Stan’s victory, the man himself was plunged into a recuperative ice bath. We may or may not have asked him to send us a pic. *eyedart*

❄️❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/J4fLnWFsCn

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) January 21, 2014

Let’s just enjoy the icy afterglow awhile, shall we? Until we begin to FREAK OUT over the semis. And what have we learned?

Nobody beats Stan Wawrinka 15 times in a row. 😉

— Tennis Inside Out (@TennisInsideOut) January 21, 2014

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