Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champion, is 38 years old and still plugging away at tennis despite injuries that have limited him in recent years.
Wawrinka is Roger Federer’s Swiss compatriot and the only other player besides Federer and Novak Djokovic to win a French Open since 2005 whose name was not Rafael Nadal.
He started his 2023 French Open in epic “Stan the Man” fashion with a five-set win over Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Wawrinka saw a two-set-to-love lead fade away which forced the pivotal fifth set; he went up a break early in the set and held on.
Stan is at the point in his career where nothing is promised, and he is grateful for every opportunity.
He also is especially thankful for the fans who keep him going.
Doing it for the fans and enjoying to the max 👊#RolandGarros | @stanwawrinka pic.twitter.com/Pm4EFax9rL
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2023
Less Time On The Court Will Help Wawrinka
It took 4 hours and 35 minutes for Stan to defeat Ramos-Vinolas.
He needs to curtail his court time in the upcoming rounds to give himself a chance to make it to and compete in the second week.
Wawrinka and Djokovic compete among a field of young players and veterans who have not succeeded at Roland Garros largely because Rafael Nadal has owned this tournament for the better part of 18 years.
Stan’s second-round opponent poses an interesting matchup for him and for tennis fans who expect to see an entertaining early-round match.
He will face Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis who defeated British player Daniel Evans to earn his first singles win at Roland Garros in eight tries.
Looking ahead, should he advance to the third round, a potential run-in with 11th-ranked Karen Khachanov could await Wawrinka.
Conclusion
During the height of the Big 3 dominance in men’s tennis, Wawrinka snuck in and won a Grand Slam in three consecutive years from 2014-2016.
Does he have the durability, firepower, and good fortune to contend at the 2023 French Open seven years since his last Grand Slam win?
Time will tell, but Swiss fans missing Roger Federer on the ATP Tour would love to see it.
Tennis Betting Guides 2024
- Tennis Betting Guide – Discover Best Tennis Betting Sites in USA Ranked & Reviewed.
- The Latest Tennis Odds – Compare the Best Tennis Betting Odds.
- Free Tennis Picks – Check Expert Tennis Betting Picks & Predictions.
- Best Offshore Betting Sites – Compare Top Offshore Online Betting Sites.
- Best Bitcoin Betting Sites – Top-rated Bitcoin Sportsbooks in USA Ranked & Reviewed.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
