GENEVA, May 20, 2015
Top-seed Stan Wawrinka began his quest for his maiden title on home soil with a victory on Day 4 at the Geneva Open winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 against Czech qualifier Lukas Rosol. The 30-year-old Lausanne-native fired six aces and broke his opponent’s service three times to seal victory in one hour and 36 minutes.
“The feeling is good, I am happy with my game but the tournament will only be a success, if I am still here on Saturday playing the final,” Wawrinka told afterwards. “Winning the Davis Cup took a bit of pressure off me playing here at home in Switzerland,” the only local in the main draw added.
Before his first match on centre court, Wawrinka was asked about his outfit on court, in particular about his chequered shorts. A Swiss TV-journalist called them pyjama pants. “They are three-in-one-shorts. I wear them for tennis, swimming and also at night in bed,” Wawrinka replied with a smile. “I am obliged to wear them for a certain time, that’s part of the life of a tennis player.” In Wimbledon, the chequered shorts will have served their time and the white outfit will return.
Stan Wawrinka made it into the quarterfinals (photo: Geneva Open)
Stan Wawrinka in post-match press conference (photo: Geneva Open)
Before London is calling, Wawrinka have to take on Federico Delbonis in Geneva’s quarterfinals. The Argentine saved the only break point he faced in his match against Andrej Kuznetsov winning 6-3, 6-4 in 66 minutes.
Third seed Pablo Andújar rallied back from a set down to beat French qualifier Adrian Mannarino for the first time. The Spaniard lost the only previous meeting at Wimbledon in 2013 in straight sets but was more successful on Geneva’s red clay. Andújar broke his opponent’s serve three times winning 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 in two hours and 15 minutes.
The 29-year-old Spaniard will take on Joao Sousa in the quarterfinals. The sixth-seeded Portuguese capitalized on four of his eight break points to defeat Jürgen Melzer winning 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 20 minutes.
Albert Ramos denied Benjamin Becker’s first quarterfinal of the season beating the German 7-6, 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes.
In the round of the final eight, the Spaniard will meet Tomaz Bellucci, who won 85% of his first service points to beat Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4 in 75 minutes.
In the remaining quarterfinal on Thursday, second seed Marin Cilic will face Santiago Giraldo for the fifth time on the tour with the world number ten from Croatia leading 4-0 in head to head records.
Bellucci def Istomin (photo: Geneva Open)
