Resilient Wawrinka revels on US Open return

After serious knee surgery, the former Roland-Garros champion is back in the big time again.

Stan Wawrinka in the first round of the 2018 US Open.©Corinne Dubreuil/FFT
 - Simon Cambers

Sometimes, good things really do come to those who wait.

The last time Stan Wawrinka was at the US Open, in 2016, he was collecting the trophy, his third grand slam title in as many years.

Twelve months later, the 2015 French Open champion was unable to play at Flushing Meadows as he began his long recovery after serious knee surgery, operations which left a big scar, the size of it telling its own story.

Great to be back

But on Monday, the Swiss was back on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court, basking in the sunshine as he bullied his way past Grigor Dimitrov, beating the No 7 seed 6-3, 6-2, 7-5, his second straight win over the Bulgarian after his first-round victory at Wimbledon earlier this summer.

“It’s amazing to be back,” Wawrinka said. “The last time I was on stadium court it was the final two years ago. I really enjoyed it. To come back to have a chance to play on this court, I knew it was going to be a tough match, but the level was really high. I’m really happy, it’s great to be back on this court.”

Stan Wawrinka's backhand at the US Open 2018.©Corinne Dubreuil/FFT
“Right now, I’m in a great place”

As strong as Wawrinka is, physically and mentally, there were many times during his recovery that he wondered if he might be able to make it back. Time and again, he pushed himself through the pain barrier, confident that if his knee improved, he would be back to his former level again.

It has taken a long time for him to get to this point, but his performances in Toronto and Cincinnati were a massive morale-boost as he prepared for the final grand slam of the year.

“Right now, I’m in a great place, compared to even where I was a few weeks or a few months ago,” Wawrinka told Roland-Garros.com on the eve of the US Open.

“Mentally, physically, also tennis-wise I am playing great, I’m feeling I am really back. I still need a lot of work to do, will still have some ups and downs but I feel good on the court. I can enjoy, I can feel that I can beat the top players, I’m great.”

Getting ahead of himself

With his booming serve, stunning backhand, powerful forehand and the knowledge that more often than not, the match is on his racket, Wawrinka has won three grand slams, Olympic gold in doubles and helped Switzerland win the Davis Cup.

His achievements are all the more impressive given the era he has been playing in, with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray mopping up most of the titles, week in, week out.

The way he played against Dimitrov suggests that he will take some beating this fortnight but Wawrinka is wary of getting ahead of himself, trying to listen to his body, without freaking out at the first sign of any pain, in the knee or elsewhere.



“Get some good matches, get a better ranking”

“I know that I’m playing really strong tennis, so I know anything can happen,” he said. “I want to go far, but if I lose I’m so happy with where I am right now that I need to keep the line, I need to keep pushing – and I know the results will come. 

“I want to finish the year playing a few tournaments, get some good matches, get a better ranking and then start the off-season saying: ‘OK, now I’m 100 per cent, what am I going to work on to improve next year’?”

Having disposed of No 8 seed Dimitrov, Wawrinka will play the French qualifier Ugo Humbert in round two, a match he will expect to win, providing his body holds up.