Yahoo News 
Sport360° view: Wawrinka and Ferrer shake-up ATP Tour
Many have been holding onto the theory that Stanislas Wawrinka winning the Australian Open this year can change the dynamic of the 2014 season.
And we need to look no further than Monte Carlo to find some truth in the above belief.
When Wawrinka manages to beat Roger Federer for only the second time in 15 meetings (and the first time in five years) in the same tournament where David Ferrer conquers Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time in 10 years – then perhaps it’s time for us to borrow the words of Bob Dylan and say ‘the times they are a-changing’.
Both players overcame their much more successful countrymen, getting past their inferiority complexes and mental limitations against them, to post victories in one of the most important tournaments of the year.
Wawrinka took it further by beating Ferrer in the semis, followed by a win over his good friend, idol and doubles partner, Federer, to lift the trophy at the Monte Carlo Country Club.
The stands boasted an interesting mix, one would only expect in the principality – with Prince Albert, Princess Charlene, Paolo Maldini, Kaka, Tommy Hilfiger and Bob Sinclar all in attendance.
The title win allowed Wawrinka to hold on to his No3 ranking, committing Federer to the unusual spot of Swiss No2 for at least a little bit longer.
Not only does the top Swiss have a tour-leading three titles this season, but Wawrinka is now 6-0 against top-10 players in 2014.
This time last year he was 1-5 with no titles for the season.
With Novak Djokovic suffering a wrist injury and Nadal showing vulnerabilities on clay, Wawrinka has very much placed himself in the mix for the French Open title.
The last man to pull off the Australian-French double in the same year was Jim Courier in 1992.
Could Wawrinka actually reach a milestone not achieved by Federer, Nadal or Djokovic?
Wawrinka’s Monte Carlo win and Ferrer’s victory in Paris-Bercy last year were the only two Masters 1000 events in the last 30 that were won by players outside the ‘Big Four’.
People may have banked on Juan Martin del Potro or Tomas Berdych to be the ones sharing the big titles with the traditional elite on the ATP Tour.
But with the former out with a wrist injury and the latter yet to repeat his 2010 heroics – when he beat Djokovic and Federer back-to-back to make the Wimbledon final – it’s Wawrinka and Ferrer who have stepped up.
Wawrinka is obviously a step ahead of Ferrer, having already won a Slam and boasting a more aggressive game, with a backhand that can fire winners from every corner and can hold its own against Nadal’s supersonic topspin forehand.
But let’s not forget that Ferrer is a French Open runner-up, unlike Wawrinka.
Looking ahead to Roland Garros, it’s the first time for ages we can actually list more than one name as serious title contenders.
The numbers remain stacked heavily in Nadal’s favour but if this season has taught us anything so far, it’s that stats are becoming more and more meaningless in the face of an awakened beast.
Just ask Wawrinka.
