Stan Wawrinka delivered a runner-up performance at the French Open, but his grass-court season fell well short of that standard.
Wawrinka, who dropped his Queen’s Club opener to Feliciano Lopez, lost to Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the Wimbledon first round on Monday. Dating back to a blowout suffered at the hands of Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros title match, the Swiss’ losing streak hit three matches after two hours and 13 minutes.
“For sure [they were two bad grass-court tournaments] for me,” Wawrinka admitted. “That’s clear. First one was not what I wanted. Unfortunately it’s like that. I had some problems with the knee since Queen’s, so (it) was not the way I wanted to get ready for this tournament.
“Today was tough. I was expecting to feel a little bit better. When I play a player that level, it’s difficult to win. He went for it, was playing well…. So it was a tough, tough day.”
“It’s my first Grand Slam win, so even if I [beat someone other than] Stan, it would be one of the biggest wins in my life,” Medevedev commented. “My first top-10 win; I have no words to describe this. I guess this memory will be with me forever.”
Match point:
Contesting his first grass-court match of the year, Nadal had no trouble making a successful surface transition. The 10-time French Open champion began his bid for a third Wimbledon triumph by crushing John Millman 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. Nadal needed just one hour and 46 minutes to set up a second-round date with Donald Young.
The world No. 2 fired five aces without double-faulting, served at 67 percent, won more than half of the points even when Millman put a first serve in play, and finished with 33 winners to a mere 18 unforced errors.
Excerpt from Nadal’s press conference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiccJEcXgqQ
“(It) is obvious at the beginning I started trying to not have a lot of mistakes, playing [safer],” Nadal assessed. “I finished the match hitting some great forehand. That’s the way; I need to play aggressive with my forehand. Obviously I need to serve well. That’s the only way that I can have chances to have good result here.
“(It) was a very positive match for me–a good start. And I (am) happy because I didn’t win a lot of matches last couple of years here in Wimbledon. Today I win one, and I am looking forward to play the second one.”
There will be no second match not only for Wawrinka, but also for fellow seeds Nick Kyrgios, Ivo Karlovic, and Fernando Verdasco. Kyrgios retired with a hip injury after dropping two sets to Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Karlovic lost to Aljaz Bedene 8-6 in the fifth set, and Verdasco succumbed to Kevin Anderson in four.
In Bedene’s big 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-7(7), 7-6(7), 8-6 victory, there were zero breaks of serve until the the Brit struck at 7-6 in the decider.
Stan out of the way for Murray, Dr. Ivo out of the way for Nadal
Props to myself for the Bedene pick. Let’s go!! Other than that as a fan I was bummed today. Stan and Nick gone. That sucks.