Narrow defeat in Basel
Was this Wawrinka’s farewell? Not if he has his way!
Despite a strong performance, Romand lost to Ben Shelton 6:7, 5:7. After a good few weeks he confirms: He will continue playing in 2025. After him, Dominic Stricker also fails.
Stan Wawrinka thanks the Basel audience for their support. He would like to return next year.
Photo: Georgios Kefalas (Keystone)
- Stan Wawrinka loses to young Ben Shelton despite a strong performance.
- Now it’s clear: he will continue playing in 2025.
- His recent performances encourage him to do so.
- Dominic Stricker convinced against Holger Rune, but also lost.
Roger Federer has stayed away from the Swiss Indoors since he triumphed here for the tenth and final time in 2019. But at least mother Lynette came to the St. Jakobs Hall for Swiss Day. She saw how Stan Wawrinka once again showed his class from before and then had to admit defeat to the youth. Ben Shelton, one of the tour’s rising starswon 7:6 (7:2), 7:5 because he stayed cooler in the crucial moments. And many asked themselves: Was this Wawrinka’s farewell to the Swiss Indoors?
The 39-year-old showed against Shelton how well he can still play tennis. He fought three break points in the first set and two in the second – but Shelton fended them all off. Wawrinka couldn’t blame anyone. The American served or played excellently on these points. Once he hit the second service at 190 kilometers per hour, without fear of a double fault.
Applause for Shelton’s mistakes
Shelton had to wait 91 minutes for his first break point, and he immediately used it to make it 6:5 in the second set. Which decided the game. In the tiebreak of the first set, Wawrinka initially made a few mistakes too many, which Shelton thanked for. In the second set, the audience supported the Swiss euphorically and cheered even when Shelton made mistakes. But he didn’t let himself be disturbed.
His mistakes pleased the Swiss audience – but Ben Shelton took it in stride.
Foto: Marc Schumacher (Freshfocus)
In the on-court interview, the American said: “I had to smile sometimes. Of course it was directed at me. But it’s cool to see a country support their player like Stan does. He is an icon. I don’t think I’ll still be down there winning matches at 39.”
Wawrinka could be satisfied with his performance, but not with the result. The last few weeks have encouraged Romand to continue his career.
“It was always my plan to continue,” he said. “The way I feel, tennis-wise and physically, how well I train, what level of play I achieve. But of course there is also the reality of the results and the world rankings. If I no longer have the opportunity to play in the big tournaments and those that I otherwise enjoy, that could affect my motivation. So far that hasn’t been the case.”
Wawrinka benefits from wild cards
As a three-time Grand Slam champion who is welcome and popular everywhere, he recently benefited from wild cards. He recently took part six times thanks to wildcards: at the Olympic Games in Paris, at the US Open, in Beijing, Shanghai, Stockholm and Basel. And in the end he made the most of it: at the last three tournaments he beat five top 100 players and with Andrei Rublew even number 7 in the world.
“Of course it’s not my goal to play forever thanks to wildcards,” says he, currently number 169 in the world. «It’s clear that I have to do everything I can to get back up in the rankings. Now it’s up to me to do the right thing on the court to move up the rankings and have the opportunity to choose the tournaments I enjoy. But my passion for tennis remains unbroken.”
Now it’s fixed: He’ll continue playing in 2025
After the Shelton match, he explicitly confirmed that he would continue playing in 2025. “I am convinced that I still have what it takes to play very well next year,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I’ll be in the top 10 again. But the way I’ve been playing and feeling in the last few weeks motivates me to keep pushing myself. Even when I lost, I played hard. I’m still living the dream I had as a little boy. I don’t see any reason why I should stop.”
He now wants to finish the season as well as possible. Next week he will play in the Challenger tournament in Bratislava as he did not receive a wildcard for Paris-Bercy. He will then take part in the ATP 250 tournament in Belgrade. It is rumored that he will get a wildcard for the Australian Open 2025. He couldn’t confirm that, said Wawrinka. “But what is 100 percent certain: that I will train hard in the winter to be ready for next season.”
Stricker keeps up with Rune
After Wawrinka, it was the turn of Dominic Stricker, who challenged Holger Rune (14) for the first time on the professional tour. The Bernese player showed that he again has the level to keep up with top players. But it wasn’t quite enough: He lost to the recently up-and-coming Dane 3:6, 6:7 (2:7), although he was able to serve to equalize the set at 5:4 in the second round and promptly received a break. In the tiebreak, Stricker played too incorrectly.
Good, but not good enough: Dominic Stricker (right) has to congratulate Holger Rune on his victory at the end.
Foto: Marc Schumacher (Freshfocus)
“It’s cool to see that I’m back at this level and can maintain it for two weeks,” said Stricker, who, like Wawrinka, impressed in Stockholm. «I can now keep up with the top people again. I had my chances against Rune and was able to annoy him. Unfortunately I couldn’t pull it off in the crucial moments.”
After the Swiss Day on Thursday, the foreign competition is now playing for the title at the Swiss Indoors. And after Félix Auger-Aliassime’s retirement, there is a new Basel winner.
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