Competing at the Swiss Indoors Basel for the 15th time, Stan Wawrinka used a crisp and efficient performance to upset second seed Casper Ruud on Tuesday.
Wawrinka converted on each of his two break points — one late in each set — and saved all three against him to close out the victory 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 18 minutes.
Ruud committed just four unforced errors in the match, but one-handed Wawrinka the strong break in the second set as the Norwegian offered to serve with an untimely loose game.
Wawrinka, who won 93 per cent (26/28) of his first-serve points and smashed 28 winners, served out the triumph with ease to advance to the Basel second round for the seventh time.
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“It`s super special. A lot of emotion being back here in Basel with the Swiss fans,” Wawrinka said in a post-match as quoted by ATP.com.
“It`s always been amazing for me to play here [but] it`s always been difficult because I am always nervous when I enter this court. I always want to show my best. It took me a little bit of time to adapt to the court but the level was great and I`m really happy with that. This is one of the main reasons why I keep on playing,” added Wawrinka, who entered the event with a protected ranking.
“I`m getting old, that`s for sure. I had to fight the last two years with the injury, and surgery. Coming back was not easy. I was struggling really to get back in shape physically and tennis-wise. So to be able to produce that tonight here in Switzerland is of course something really special and hopefully, I can keep playing well,” he added.
Wawrinka will next face American Brandon Nakashima, who defeated David Goffin 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 on Monday.
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