In tennis, one man's loss is often another man's gain, and with both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic struggling to consistently find their best form and now out of Miami with injuries, the rest of the field is looking to capitalize.  Thus far, it has been Roger Federer who has made the most of things, continuing the dominance of the Big 4 at the most prestigious tournaments with his title runs in Melbourne and just last week at Indian Wells.  But Federer is not the only Swiss people should be keeping an eye on as the season progresses.  His countryman Stan Wawrinka also deserves a serious look.

Wawrinka is the definition of a late-bloomer, as he is clearly playing his best tennis now.  Three years ago, at the age of twenty-eight, he captured his first slam singles title at the Australian Open.  He has backed it up nicely with a victory at Roland Garros in 2015 and a US Open crown last season.  And while the Swiss would be the first to insist that he does not belong in the same conversation as the Big 4, it is interesting to note that he presently has the same number of major singles titles as Andy Murray and is one step closer than the Scot to joining that rare club of players to have completed a career Grand Slam.  He has developed a reputation as a big-match player, and he has looked to be one of the guys who can consistently challenge the Big 4.  The question is, can he put himself in a position to where pundits start looking at him as a member of what could be described as the Big 5?

The current world no. 3 has a lot going for him if he hopes to achieve that.  For starters, he has quite the impressive arsenal of shots.  Though not the tallest player on tour, he has a powerful serve that earns him plenty of cheap points, and his defense is deceptively good.  And while his beautiful backhand gets all the attention, he is equally if not more capable of inflicting damage with his forehand.  When at his best, he is such a powerful and pure ball-striker that he can hit even the most decorated of champions off the court. 

What is more important than Wawrinka's physical gifts, however, is mental strength, which has vastly improved under the tutelage of coach Magnus Norman.  Though he still falls victim to the occasional early exit, they do not plague him with nearly the same frequency as they did earlier in his career.  That is thanks to a greater ability to troubleshoot and willingness to fight.  It was evident when he saved match points against Dan Evans last year at the US Open.  It could be seen when he nearly got the better of Federer after falling in a two-set hole during their semifinal in Melbourne this past January, and it was on display when he denied Yoshihito Nishioka the victory last week at Indian Wells when the Japanese served for the match twice.  It has become Wawrinka's trademark move, the finger pointed towards his head, as he demonstrates how his newfound mental toughness is paying dividends.

And Wawrinka is going to have to call on all the improved mental grit in Miami if he wants to continue to build on his present success.  Miami has never been particularly kind to the Swiss. He has contested the tournament just eight times in his career and only twice has he even made it to the Round of 16.  He also finds himself in a position he might never have thought possible as the top seed at a Masters event for the first time in his career.  He is becoming increasingly in the spotlight, and he is going to have to rise to the expectations that come with it if he hopes to take advantage of the present situation in the men's game.

If Wawrinka proves himself able to take advantage of the partial void in men's tennis, there is no telling what may happen.  He has the talent and the mindset.  Perhaps Stan “The Man” Wawrinka could be the last man standing when 2017 ends.  There is still a lot of tennis to be played between now and then, but a solid showing in Miami for the world number 3 would add further credence to his hopes of achieving new milestones this season.