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Stan Wawrinka starts the Australian Open on Monday night and warns about opponent Adrian Mannarino.
10 years after his first Grand Slam title, Stan Wawrinka will tackle his 18th Australian Open on Monday against Adrian Mannarino. In 2014, the Lausanne native won his 1st of 3 major titles after a final victory over Novak Djokovic.
“These are of course incredible memories,” says the now 38-year-old, looking back. «I had two fabulous weeks with the victories against Djokovic and Nadal. It’s always special to come back here.” He will no longer be competing for the title in the late autumn of his career.
Mannarino is in the form of his life. And I’ve never hit him.
Wawrinka’s motivation and joy are still great. He seems to have recovered well from the foot injury he sustained in Metz at the beginning of November. “It was complicated at first, but I worked very hard.”
Trained with the best
Wawrinka was unable to play in a preparatory tournament, but has been in Melbourne since the beginning of the year and trained a lot in the Rod Laver Arena with stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. “I trained specifically with the best,” reveals Wawrinka. “The preparation wasn’t as desired, but that’s not a bad thing, I’m happy with my level.”
I’m going to need a big match.
This will have to be high if the Romand wants to overcome the first hurdle of Adrian Mannarino on Monday night. He was spared a really big chunk like Djokovic or Alcaraz, the 20th in the world rankings. from France is a dangerous opponent. “He is in the form of his life, won three tournaments last year – and I have never beaten him,” says Wawrinka.
He has to try to impose his game on the left-hander with the many variations. “I will need a big match,” emphasizes the Swiss. It will only be known at the end whether it is an advantage that this time it is three sets instead of two as in his two narrow defeats against Mannarino.
Partial recording of the Wawrinka game
Open box Close box
The game between Stan Wawrinka and Adrian Mannarino will take place on Monday night from around 2:30 a.m. SRF two will show a partial recording of the game on Monday from 12:30 p.m.
2024-01-14 15:27:00
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