Stan Wawrinka wins a match again three months later

After several tournaments wandering without luck, Stan Wawrinka smiled again on a tennis court tonight. The Swiss player, who is facing his last season as a professional in 2026, ended a three-month winless streak by defeating Dalibor Svrcina by (7-6, 7-6) in the first round of the Challenger 125 in Cancún. At 41 years old, the three-time Grand Slam champion found a small dose of relief in Mexico after a few complicated months.

It was not an easy victory. Svrcina, currently ranked 114th in the world and the defending champion of the tournament, had a 4-2 lead in the first set, but Wawrinka reacted just in time to force a tiebreak. There, the Swiss had to save a set point before winning 8-6. The second set was once again extremely close, and the Swiss needed to save up to three break points before taking the match back to the tiebreak, where he didn't give his opponent a chance.

This victory holds special significance for Wawrinka, not only for breaking the negative streak but also because it comes in a tournament he knows well. Last year, he reached the semifinals, and now he will try to repeat that adventure. His next obstacle will be Roman Safiullin, in a matchup where both have an equal historical record. Wawrinka defeated the Russian in the 2020 Challenger in Prague, while Safiullin won in Beijing 2024.

The Swiss's presence in Cancún also has a special meaning within his unique farewell to tennis. Wawrinka has chosen the Challenger circuit to continue competing and seeking sensations before facing the final stretch of his career. Furthermore, his victory comes just as his name appears among the candidates to receive a wild card for the main draw of the US Open, an invitation that is still pending confirmation.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Stan Wawrinka vuelve a ganar un partido tres meses después