Published13. February 2024, 02:17
Tennis: Stan Wawrinka: “It’s a big victory for me”
The Vaudois had a nice warm-up in Buenos Aires with a victory in three sets and 2h21 against Pedro Cachin.
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Jeremy Santallo
Back in South America for the first time since 2013, a time when he was not yet a Grand Slam champion, Stan Wawrinka (ATP 60) did not miss his first meeting Monday evening in Buenos Aires. Opposed to the Argentinian Pedro Cachin (28 years old, ATP 74), crowned in Gstaad this summer and 48th in the world ranking after his title in the Oberland, the 38 year old Vaudois won 6-7 (4) 6- 1 6-2 in 2h21.
In very windy conditions, the first set between the two men turned into a standoff: twelve games, no break points to get their teeth into and a tie-break quickly became inevitable. Trailing 3-4 service to follow in the deciding game, Wawrinka made an unforced error by attempting a winning forehand along the line, then a second, still on a forehand, on the opponent’s set point. After 52 minutes, the round had just slipped away.
The three-time Grand Slam winner then had every reason in the world to be annoyed. Especially since in the first game of the 2nd set, he saw his first break point fly away after being outpaced by a drop shot from Cachin. He ended up stealing the opponent’s throw-in during the 3rd game and offered himself a reprieve on the Guillermo Vilas court at the end of a set full of mastery.
The confidence that inhabited him at that moment did not turn the head of “Stan The Man”, who accepted the fight from the baseline, and achieved the break of a concrete block on a forehand to break away (3- 0) in the 3rd set. Cachin was not going to see him again and with a final winning backhand along the line which drew a smile of admiration from his trainer Magnus Norman, Wawrinka validated his first victory of 2024 after his elimination at the start of the Open. Australia.
“I’m very happy, it’s never easy to play a first round and I haven’t played much in recent months,” explained “Stanimal”, victim of a small fracture of the malleolus in early November. I knew how to stay positive towards myself and played better as the match progressed. It’s a big victory for me.” He will meet Nicolas Jarry (21st), winner of the Geneva Open last spring, in the second round on Wednesday.
2024-02-13 01:17:13
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