It might not have been the final that many would have predicted at the start of the tournament, but with a pedigree for five-set bruisers, the scene was set for a showdown between world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka.

Since the start of the year, Djokovic has been in supreme form. He has been beaten just twice (Ivo Karlovic in the Doha quarterfinal, Roger Federer in the Dubai final). His win over Rafael Nadal set down his marker, as he ousted the nine-time Roland Garros champion in straight sets.

Wawrinka dropped a set against Dusan Lajovic but was in impressive form, especially against Roger Federer in the quarterfinal, and overcame a late push back from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. But still many tipped the trophy to be heading to Serbia.

When a match starts with a 39-shot rally in the opening game, you know you are in for the long haul, and certainly at the start it looked as though Djokovic was in the driving seat. He pressurized Wawrinka for an early break straight away, but he was kept at bay.

He was rewarded with a single break eventually, however, and after two hard-fought set points were saved, Djokovic was finally on his way to the first set. He continued to put pressure on Wawrinka in the first game of the second set, threatening to break once more. But the Swiss showed that he was in for the long haul, finally starting to reverse the trend as suddenly he was very much the aggressor. Djokovic had no more looks at the Wawrinka serve, with Wawrinka breaking to level the match.

Djokovic has an uneasy relationship with the Parisian crowd, and he further earned their wrath by smashing his racquet in frustration, but Wawrinka was moving from strength to strength. At times, the Serbian looked winded after long exchanges, as Wawrinka got the single break that would make it a long way back for Djokovic.

Then again, this is the world No. 1 who has lost just two matches this year, so anything was possible, as we pressed into the fourth set. Here, he gave fans hope as he got his first break at the start of the set, and it looked as though we would see another five-set battle between them. But credit to Wawrinka, he got the break back. However, after an epic hold by Djokovic after losing three games in a row, there was a sense that if the match would turn, it would be at this point.

He put Wawrinka under extreme pressure, but as three break points came and went for the Serbian, the momentum just as quickly shifted back to Wawrinka. He broke late in the set to put himself in the position of serving for his second Grand Slam title.

Djokovic saved a match point and was within a whisker of breaking back to keep his dreams alive, but after a couple of hefty deep breaths, a winner sealed the deal for Wawrinka. He won his second major title, claimed a place in the top four, and surely put down a compelling argument that, if anything, the Big Four now become the Big Five.

There is barely enough time to thwack the clay from their shoes as Wimbledon is just around the corner, where Wawrinka will feel the pressure once more as an incoming Grand Slam champion, and Djokovic will defend his title.

Wimbledon starts on 29 June.