"Physically I was feeling great" says Stan Wawrinka after win in Rome

Tuesday, 10 May 2022 at 08:00

Updated at Wednesday, 03 July 2024 at 22:01

byNurein Ahmed

Bad days don't last permanently, and Stan Wawrinka has finally won a match on the ATP Tour, and he's extremely happy about it.

The last time Wawrinka raised his hands aloft as a match winner was at the 2021 Australian Open, over a year ago, when he defeated Pedro Sousa in the first round in straight sets.

He lost three successive matches after that before shutting down his season in March because of a foot injury that required two separate operations. The Swiss one-hander made his long-awaited return to the Tour, first on the Challenger, where he lost in Marbella to Elias Ymer at the end of March.

His second tournament was in Monte Carlo last month, where he came up short to the mercurial Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik. But Wawrinka terminated that winless streak at the Italian Open, fighting back from a set down to beat the big-serving Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

The three-time Grand Slam champion will face Serbia's Laslo Djere in the second round. When he spoke to reporters after his match against the American, he was happy that he regained his level and composure in the second and third sets to turn the match around.

Read also

Stan Wawrinka wins first match in 15 months after perfect comeback in Rome

"I was feeling good on the court. Physically I was feeling great. When you don't win a match in more than a year, you start to think about it more than what you should and not focus on the right things. In general I think it was a great match, great battle. I stayed positive. I start to feel much better with my tennis by the end of the second set, and the third set. I'm really happy with this victory."

Wawrinka also commented about his fitness. This is only his third tournament of the season at all levels. While clay is known to be a demanding surface for the body, the 37-year-old is convinced that he only needs a few more months to hit his stride but is mindful of the encouraging steps he's taken.

"I'm feeling much better in practice. I've been practicing really hard to move better, to feel better. I know that my game will get there. I feel confidence with that. I just need a few more months to be where I want to be. But in general it's already a big step ahead."