World no. 168 Stan Wawrinka is again at Challengers for the primary time since October final 12 months. The oldest participant in top-200 has but to attain a win on the ATP stage in 2025. The Swiss determined to step all the way down to Challengers, beginning his clay swing in Naples.
The previous Roland Garros champion confronted a qualifier Borna Gojo within the first spherical and scored a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory in 62 minutes. The veteran claimed 19 factors greater than his opponent and managed the tempo on serve and return.
Wawrinka served at 51%, and nobody may discover that. He barely misplaced some extent behind the primary serve and stored the second secure to maintain his rival away from break factors.Â
— Damian Kust (@damiankust) March 25, 2025
The Croat couldn’t comply with that tempo. Borna misplaced 48% of the factors in his video games and suffered 4 breaks from seven probabilities provided to his opponent. They supplied 4 effective holds initially of the duel earlier than Stan stepped in on the return at 2-2.
He wasted two break factors earlier than seizing the third after Gojo’s large backhand error on the web. Stan cemented the break with a compelled error in sport six and cracked a backhand crosscourt winner within the subsequent one for 2 break factors.Â
Stan Wawrinka, Umag 2023© Stream screenshot
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The Croat performed a wayward drop shot on the primary, struggling one other break and falling 5-2 behind. The veteran served for the opener in sport eight and landed a service winner for 6-2 in 27 minutes. The Swiss delivered 4 effective holds within the second set and stored the strain on the opposite facet.Â
Borna wasted a sport level at 1-1 and sprayed a forehand error to drop serve and fall a set and a break behind. Wawrinka cemented the lead with a service winner within the subsequent one, transferring 3-1 in entrance and nearer to the end line.Â
Stan Wawrinka, Umag 2023© Stream screenshot
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Stan closed the sixth sport with an unreturned serve and moved 4-2 in entrance. Gojo lowered the hole with a service winner in sport seven, and Wawrinka cracked an ace within the subsequent one for 5-3. The Swiss made a push on the return in sport 9 and created three match factors with a slice winner.
The veteran seized the second with a pointy return, delivering one other break and transferring excessive in fashion. Stan will face an in-form Borna Coric within the second spherical, with the Croat notching 16 straight Challenger wins!
