Stan Wawrinka will play a Davis Cup match again today after eight years, that is, since 2015, when he came to the rescue of the current champions to try to avoid their relegation to Group I. The Swiss champion’s commitment to his colors has always been absolute, participating uninterruptedly from 2004 to 2014 in various stages of the competition.
In 2014, together with his compatriot Roger Federer, he wrote a very important page for his country, by achieving the first historical victory in the tournament. In the first singles match of the final against France, “Stan the Man”, as he was nicknamed, bested Jo-Wilfried Tsonga by a score of 6-1.3-6.6-3.6-2.
Pairing with the 20-time Slam champion, they defeated Benneteau and Gasquet in three sets. On the third day, Federer managed to beat Gasquet and gave the Swiss team one of the highest moments in tennis history. His total balance in the competition is 26 wins and 25 losses, which reaches the figures of 22-13 if we limit ourselves to individual matches.
Today’s match against Alexander Zverev could represent for the 37-year-old Lausanne native “The Last Dance”, that is, one of the last appearances, if not the last, in the jersey of his Switzerland (he could also play doubles Saturday).
His role, however, will not be that of an extra, far from it, but he will also be willing to mentor the two great promises of tennis in his country, such as Dominic Stricker and Leandro Riedi, and transmit all his experience.
The three-time Slam champion, after a long hiatus from the circuit due to a cartilage injury in his right knee in 2021, sank in the ranking and in 2022, due to advancing age, he was unable to return to the level of he. The balance on the Australian tour was one win and two losses.
After four hours and 24 minutes he lost in the first round of the Australian Open against Alex Molcan.
Toni Nadal on Roger Federer
Toni Nadal admitted that the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Murray and his nephew Rafael Nadal himself have managed to have long and highly successful players.
“It has not been the case of Roger Federer, Andy Murray or Rafael, who have enjoyed very long careers, but not for that reason, the high price that has to be paid for it is belied,” the coach wrote. “The problem has been evident for a long time and, even so, no measure has been taken to reduce the intensity of the rallies and the fact that too many tennis players of the stature of Gustavo Kuerten, Magnus Norman, Lleyton Hewitt (all of them former number one), to name just a few, had to retire early,” he said.
