Published16. April 2024, 5:07 p.m.
Tennis: So close and so far at the same time, Stan Wawrinka falls again
The 39-year-old Vaudois was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Tiriac Open in Bucharest. He was beaten again in three sets, this time by Nuno Borges.
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Jeremy Santallo
Stan Wawrinka did not go the distance against the Portuguese Nuno Borges on Tuesday for his entry into the Bucharest tournament.
AFP
The weeks are starting to look a little too similar for Stan Wawrinka (ATP 86). Like his start to the season (except Monte-Carlo last week), the 39-year-old Vaudois was right for a long time on Tuesday, on the center court of the Tiriac Open in Bucharest, a 250 tournament. , against the Portuguese Nuno Borges (55th). But after the loss of the 2nd set, the three-time Grand Slam winner again did not go the distance, ultimately losing 6-3, 5-7, 2-6 in 2h09.
For a full hour, “Stan The Man” dominated the 8th finalist of the last Australian Open (with a victory over Grigor Dimitrov), who is playing the tennis of his life at the start of the year. With two winning shots, a backhand along the line and a forehand in the corner of the court, Wawrinka seized his chance at 3-2 to pocket the first set without trembling.
Capricious millimeters
If he was then unable to do anything on the two break points he got at 1-1, the next two, at 4-4, will leave him with regrets: his backhand attack along the line took the net then his cross forehand took the lane with nothing. If the millimeters had shifted to his side, the child from Saint-Barthélemy would have served to win the match. Instead, three games later, he let go of his throw for the first time after 1h33 on a divine inspiration from Borges on the restart. These famous little details that make big differences…
In danger on each of his service games after that, Wawrinka capitulated at 2-3 in the 3rd set, on an unforced error on the forehand. As at the Australian Open (Mannarino), Buenos Aires (Jarry), Indian Wells (Machac) or Marrakech (Navone), he lost the decisive round. Barely arrived, “Stanimal” will already leave Bucharest. With this feeling that he is so close but so far, at the same time.
2024-04-16 15:07:36
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