Indian Wells: Wawrinka upsets Rune in thriller to score 550th career win
The Swiss veteran will face Italian Jannik Sinner, the No 11 seed, in the fourth round
Stan Wawrinka, Indian Wells 2023 | © Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic
Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka needed all his experience to upset Danish teen Holger Rune, the No 7 seed, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 and reach the last 16 of the Indian Wells Masters on Monday.
A three-time Grand Slam champion and former world No 3, Wawrinka, who is now ranked No 100 in the world, looked set to comfortably avenge his loss to Rune at the Paris Masters last year as he led 6-2, 5-3 and served for the match.
However, Rune saved a match point and then came back from 5-2 down in the second set tiebreaker to force a decider.
The 37-year-old Wawrinka managed to put that lapse behind him and won the final set 7-5 to complete the 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 win in two hours and 40 minutes to score the 550th win of his career.
All my career I know only one way. To keep fighting, working, pushing myself and stay positive
Stan Wawrinka
The two had a dramatic end to their Paris encounter with Wawrinka reprimanding Rune at the net during their handshake for his behaviour on court. This time, it was Rune who had a few words to say after the match to Wawrinka though things did not go out of control.
“I feel good. The last 45 minutes was tough. I had the match in control, was playing well. I was putting a lot of pressure,” Wawrinka said atter the win. “I should have won the match way before. I started feeling nervous and hesitated a little bit. He came back in the match. He is an amazing player, a young player. But it is special to keep winning. It was important to stay there mentally because I am playing well. I was trying to stay calm with myself. I lost to him already in Paris. All my career I know only one way. To keep fighting, working, pushing myself and stay positive. I am super happy with the win.”
Wawrinka, ranked No 100, will play Italian Jannik Sinner, the No 11 seed, in the fourth round.
Ahead of his win today, the 37-year-old Swiss won against Australian Aleksandar Vukic (6-4, 1-6, 6-1) and Serb Miomir Kecmanovic, the No 26 seed (7-6 (8), 6-4).
Indian Wells Masters, other third-round matches (Indian Wells Tennis Garden, hard, USD 8,800,000):
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (8) beat Francisco Cerundolo (27): 7-5, 6-4
- Tommy Paul (17) beat Hubert Hurkacz (9): 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
- Alejandro Tabilo (Q) beat Jordan Thompson: 6-3, 7-6 (6)
- Daniil Medvedev (5) beat Ilya Ivashka: 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
- Andrey Rublev (6) beat Ugo Humbert: 7-5, 6-3
- Frances Tiafoe (14) beat Jason Kubler: 6-3, 6-2
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (23) beat Karen Khachanov (13): 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
- Alexander Zverev (12) beat Emil Ruusuvuori: 7-5, 1-6, 7-5
- Cameron Norrie (10) beat Taro Daniel (Q): 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-2
- Cristian Garin (Q) beat Casper Ruud (3): 6-4, 7-6 (2)
- Carlos Alcaraz vs. Tallon Griekspoor
- Jack Draper vs. Andy Murray
- Jannik Sinner vs. Adrian Mannarino
- Taylor Fritz vs. Sebastian Baez:
- Alex Molcan vs. Marton Fucsovics
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