456 days and two foot operations later, in the first round of the 1000 tournament in Rome against Reilley Opelka (24, ATP 17), Stan Wawrinka (37) wins again on the tennis court. After his comeback at the ATP Challenger tournament in Marbella at the end of March (loss to Elias Ymer), this is the first successful appearance.
The relief for the Swiss after the game is correspondingly large. At the press conference he said: “This win is great for the time I was away from tennis. I feel a lot better with every training session.”
Physio to be able to walk again
How great Wawrinka’s relief is can be felt in the statements after his rocky path back when the Swiss talks about his hard times last year: “I was completely broken – not just in terms of sport.” He had many moments when he was far from thinking about returning. “It would have been easier to just stop.”
There were times when he couldn’t even walk properly. “I did a lot of physio and rehab – and only to be able to walk again,” says Wawrinka. His secret recipe for the comeback? “I didn’t want to stop hurt. Always stay positive, keep going. Even if it’s extremely hard. But it helps.”
Appropriately, Wawrinka posted a statement on Instagram in which the Swiss says: “Work hard, be patient, consistent and never give up.” Now the first step has been taken. More will follow.
