By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday October 25, 2022
The Swiss legend still has big wins in him, and he proved it in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Basel on Tuesday.
photo source: TTV
At the age of 37, with multiple surgeries to his knee and feet in the recent rearview, Stan Wawrinka knows his days are numbered on the ATP Tour.
But that doesn’t keep him from living the tennis dream in style.
Wawrinka edged past World No.3 Casper Ruud on Tuesday at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, helping to ease the sting of Roger Federer’s absence at the event he used to rule with an iron fist (and pass out pizza to ball kids when he was done).
Wawrinka was nearly perfect from the service stripe as he kept this year’s Roland-Garros and US Open finalist at bay to earn his biggest win by ranking since he defeated Novak Djokovic at the 2019 US Open.
He may be old, but he’s not that old.
“This is one of the big reasons and main reason why I keep on playing,” he said after the win. “I’m getting old that's for sure, I had to fight a lot in the last two years with the injury. Surgery and coming back was not easy. “It's so special. A lot of emotion, being back here in Basel. Swiss fans have always been amazing for me. To play here has always been difficult because I'm always nervous when I enter this court – I always want to show my best.”
The Swiss notches his 60th Top-10 win on tour, a level only achieved by three other active players – Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Wawrinka’s victory sets a second-round clash with Brandon Nakashima in Basel. The three-time Slam champion says he is feeling more comfortable on court after putting a match under his belt.
“It took me a little bit of time to adapt and to feel better on the court, but the level was great and I'm really happy with that,” he said. “I was struggling really hard to get back in shape physically in tennis. So to be able to do that, to produce that tonight here in Switzerland, of course is something really special and hopefully I can keep playing well.”
Murray Rallies from a Set Down
Wawrinka will be joined by fellow thirty something Andy Murray in the second round. The 35-year-old Scot, making his first appearance in Basel since 2005, had to battle from a set down against Russia’s Roman Safuillin to win, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4. Murray earns a bout with sixth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut next.
The Scot notched his 26th win of the season – most he has achieved in a single season since 2016, the year he ran the table and finished the season at No.1.
The World No.49 was, as expected, thrilled to find a way past the qualifier.
“As the match went on, I started to dictate a few more points and served better. I changed the way I was returning a little bit and when I did that I was able to create a few more opportunities and frustrate him a little bit,” he said.