FANS were treated to a battle of Grand Slam champions in the opening round of Roland Garros overnight, with 2015 French Open champion Stan Wawrinka proving too strong for Great Britain’s Sir Andy Murray. The Swiss veteran won 6-4 6-4 6-2 in what will likely be the last time the pair meet on the French clay.
In a rivalry that has stretched over two decades, the pair look likely to retire at the end of the season, with the 39-year-old Wawrinka having at least one more match at Roland Garros, while for the 37-year-old Murray it is more than likely his curtain call. It is the fourth time the pair have faced off at Roland Garros, including twice in the semi-finals stage, where the pair split those results.
Wawrinka’s strength on serve proved too much, breaking in the opening game and holding on from there to take the first set, and it was be a similar story in the second with another additional break of serve handing him a 6-4 6-4 lead. While Wawrinka had some leg concerns towards the back end of the second set, he shook that off and ground out a win with Murray then starting to struggle.
The Swiss star took the chance to ace aead, winning the first four games to build enough of a lead to salute 6-2 and claim the match in straight sets. Sensing the importance of the match, the crowd duly saluted the pair of champions with a standing ovation.
Wawrinka said he enjoyed battling against his old foe and spent extra long at the net to embrace Murray.
“My first words to him were respect to a great champion,” Wawrinka said post-match. “As a tennis fan, I enjoyed watching Andy [play] tennis against the best players of all-time. We had battles with those players for nearly 20 years. We are not all that young anymore, and we’re trying to make the best of what we have left.”
In the match, Wawrinka hit 10 more winners (35-25) and only seven more unforced errors (30-23), while winning 79 and 56 per cent of his first and second serve points compared to Murray’s 71 and 50 per cent respectively. He also saved both break points he faced, while converting four of 10 in the match.
Wawrinka will take on the winner of 32nd seed Cameron Norrie or unseeded Russian Pavel Kotov in the Round of 64.
ROLAND GARROS ATP ROUND OF 128 RESULTS:
[3] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) defeated J.J. Wolf (USA) 6-1 6-2 6-1
[6] Andrey Rublev (RUS) defeated Taro Daniel (JPN) 6-2 6-7 6-3 7-5
[8] Hubert Hurkacz (PO) defeated Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-0 6-3
[10] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) 6-4 6-3 6-4
Corentin Moutet (FRA) defeated [16] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-2 6-1 3-6 6-0
Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) defeated [17] Ugo Humbert (FRA) 6-4 2-6 6-4 6-3
Zizou Bergs (BEL) defeated [24] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-2
[27] Sebastian Korda (USA) defeated Harold Mayot (FRA) 6-2 7-6 6-4
Jesper De Jong(NED)defeated Jack Draper (GBR) 7-5 6-4 6-7 3-6 6-3
Pedro Martinez (ESP) defeated Thiago Agustin Tirante (ARG) 5-7 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-3
Maximilian Marterer (GER) defeated Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3 6-2 6-0
Brandon Nakashima (USA) defeated Nicolas Moreno De Alboran (USA) 6-1 6-7 6-3 6-2
Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) defeated Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-4 4-6 6-3 7-5
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) defeated Andy Murray (GBR) 6-4 6-4 6-2
Sebastian Ofner (AUT) defeated Terence Atmane(FRA) 3-6 4-6 7-6 6-2 7-5
Daniel Altmaier (GER) defeated Laslo Djere (SRB) 7-5 6-4 6-7 5-7 7-6
Kei Nishikori (JPN) defeated Gabriel Diallo (CAN) 7-5 7-6 3-6 1-6 7-5
Alexandre Muller (FRA) defeated Luca Nardi (ITA) 6-4 6-1 6-3
Richard Gasquet (FRA) defeated Borna Coric (CRO) 7-6 7-6 6-4
Fabian Marozsan (HUN) defeated Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 6-2 6-2 6-3
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