Stan Wawrinka, 37, hires ex-coach, explains why he is still playing
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Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka is back to working with coach Magnus Norman as the Swiss upset third-ranked
Casper Ruud in his first match since reuniting with Norman.
BREAKING: Magnus Norman is back in Stan Wawrinka’s team.
He will be with Wawrinka at the Australian Open. #Wawrinka #SwissIndoors pic.twitter.com/ozVNKNf9xl — Simon Häring (@_shaering) October 25, 2022
Wawrinka, a former world No 3, previously worked with Norman twice.
Wawrinka and Norman worked between 2013 and 2017, while their second stint came from 2018 to 2020. On Tuesday, Wawrinka stunned No 2 seed Ruud 6-4 6-4 in his opener at the Swiss Indoors Basel. Wawrinka earned the first break of the match in the seventh game, before serving out for the first set in the 10th game.
In the second set, Wawrinka broke Ruud in the ninth game and served out for the match in the following game. “It’s so special. A lot of emotion, being back here in Basel. Swiss fans have always been amazing for me.
To play here has always been difficult because I’m always nervous when I enter this court – I always want to show my best,” Wawrinka said after stunning Ruud, per Tennis Majors.
Wawrinka on why he is still playing
Wawrinka, 37, underwent two surgeries on his foot last year.
Still, he refused to simply quit and just walk away from tennis. “This is one of the big reason and the main reason why I keep on playing. I’m getting old that’s for sure, I had to fight a lot in the last two years with injury.
Surgery and coming back was not easy. I was struggling really hard to get back in shape physically in tennis. So to be able to do that, to produce that tonight here in Switzerland, of course is something really special and hopefully I can keep playing well,” Wawrinka added.
For Wawrinka, beating Ruud was his biggest win since beating Novak Djokovic at the 2019 US Open. Wawrinka, who is now ranked at No 194 in the world, will improve on the rankings list next Monday.
Read More: Stan Wawrinka, 37, hires ex-coach, explains why he is still playing 2022-10-27 18:10:49