2023-05-10 12:00:45
Stan Wawrinka passes between the drops in Rome
The Vaudois crossed the 1st round of the Masters 1000 in Rome by taking the upper hand, on Wednesday, over the Belarusian Ilya Ivashka (6-2 6-4).
Stan Wawrinka started his tournament well in Rome.
Keystone
Entering the main draw thanks to the forfeit game in recent days (he was initially supposed to go through the qualifications), Stan Wawrinka (ATP 84) qualified on Wednesday for the second round of the Masters 1000 in Rome. The 38-year-old Vaudois got the better of the Belarusian Ilya Ivashka (73rd), 6-2 6-4, during the opening match of the tournament on the “Centrale”.
Stayed in the gym, open to players longer than expected (the rain delayed the start of the match by 90 minutes), “Stan The Man” made life easier by pulling off a great start. He pounded Ivashka’s backhand on his faceoffs, played his power in the forehand diagonal, before allowing himself some divine drop shots. So many paying choices which meant that despite a more than suspicious percentage of past firsts (25%), the triple Grand Slam winner first flew over the debates (6-2).
Facing Dimitrov in the next round
Under the eyes of his parents, who made the trip, his physio Stefan Duell and his trainer Magnus Norman, Stan Wawrinka regained some feeling on his first serve ball at the start of the second set but did not managed to break free. Under the Italian drizzle, he even had to save a break point – the only one he faced on Wednesday – on an uncrossed forehand winning at 2-2. And at 5-4 in his favor, he was able to raise his level of play to close the deal in 1h17.
“Stanimal” will find the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (33rd), now trained by the former Swiss coach Daniel Vallverdu, in two days.
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