The magic can happen again! Stan Wawrinka (ATP 169) is perhaps preparing to experience, like two years ago, another unforgettable week in Basel.
The Vaudois opened the doors to the round of 16 thanks to a 6-3 3-6 7-5 success acquired somewhat painfully against Adrian Mannarino (57). Greeted with immense fervor by the Rhineland public – we thought he had won the deciding singles of a Davis Cup final – this victory launches him perfectly into the tournament with a superb challenge this Thursday at 4:00 p.m. against Ben Shelton (23). This meeting will be followed by that between Dominic Stricker (258) and Holger Rune (14).
After winning the first five games after a one-sided start, the Vaudois slowly lost his Latin. He conceded a first break, without consequences however, at 5-1. The service game lost in the sixth game of the second set, on the other hand, weighed very heavily. He put Adrian Mannarino back in the game.
Oldest player to win at Swiss Indoors
After dismissing a break point at the start of the last set, Stan Wawrinka relied above all on his serve to take the lead. At 6-5 0-15, he armed with a backhand passing to find himself in an ideal position. Three points later, he picked up a sixteenth victory at the Halle St. Jacques to become, at 39 years and almost seven months, the oldest player to win a single at the Swiss Indoors since Jimmy Connors in 1991.
ats/efas
