Stan Wawrinka rolls back years to set up Novak Djokovic clash

LONDON – Stan Wawrinka rolled back the years as the 38-year-old Swiss proved the old adage that class is permanent and form temporary, knocking out seeded Argentinian Tomas Etcheverry on Thursday to reach the third round at Wimbledon.

His career may be in its twilight, but Wawrinka proved a notch above a man 15 years his junior to claim a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory on a sunny Court Three.

It was the first time Wawrinka has reached the third round of a Grand Slam for three years and his reward is a box-office duel with defending champion Novak Djokovic, the man he famously made cry after beating him in the 2015 French Open final.

The 88th-ranked Wawrinka, who has extended his career despite issues with his knees, had lost in the first or second round of his last six Grand Slam tournaments.

“It’s a long time that I didn’t win too much at Grand Slams,” Wawrinka, who once turned the so-called big four into a big five by winning the 2014 Australian Open, the French Open a year later and the 2016 US Open, said on court after an impressive display against the 29th seed.

“I’ve been working hard to get back to a better level and I’m happy with the way I’m coming up.”

Wimbledon has never been Wawrinka’s happiest hunting ground, with only two quarter-final runs. He has made the third round for the first time since 2015.

Djokovic, bidding for a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title and a joint-record eighth in total, leads their career head-to-head 20-6, but they have never met on grass.

“I’ll enjoy it if I don’t get killed,” Wawrinka said of his impending showdown with the Serb, who has lost only twice at Wimbledon since 2013 – one of which was due to an injury withdrawal.

“I’m happy to have the chance to play against him on grass at least one time.

“It’s a big challenge but hopefully I can come to a higher level and be competitive. I’ll push to the maximum and see what happens.”

For Wawrinka to stand any chance of stopping Djokovic’s march to a 24th Grand Slam title, he will need all the tools in his considerable toolbox, especially his signature backhand.

That stroke, the subject of endless Internet montages, softened up Djokovic in the 2015 Roland Garros showdown and in the 2016 US Open final, when he produced three sets of almost unplayable brilliance.

It was also in fine fettle on Thursday, as was his hammer-like forehand, although it was experience that really paid off as he moved Etcheverry around the court.

On the other side of the age spectrum, the 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva reached the third round of a Grand Slam for a second successive time on Thursday.

Andreeva was leading Czech 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 4-0 when the former French Open champion retired with an injury.

She is now the third-youngest player in the Open Era (since 1968) to reach the third round of Wimbledon as a qualifier. Only Kim Clijsters (1999) and Coco Gauff (2019) pulled off that feat at a younger age.

“It’s not the way I wanted to win the match, of course. She had some problems with her foot. Of course, I wish her the speedy recovery,” Andreeva said in her post-match press conference.

Just as she had done at the French Open, the Russian teenager came through qualifying for Wimbledon and next faces either compatriot Anastasia Potapova or Kaja Juvan of Slovenia.

“It is my first experience on grass. It’s just my fifth match. I like the grass so far. I’m not playing that bad. I will just try to do my best, then we will see what will I do. But honestly, I don’t have any goals. I just play,” Andreeva said.

Also moving into the third round was former Wimbledon semi-finalist Elina Svitolina, who continued her fine run in Grand Slams following her maternity break as the Ukrainian wild card downed 28th seed Elise Mertens 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.

Svitolina will next face American Sofia Kenin after the former Major champion eased past China’s Wang Xinyu 6-4, 6-3.

England’s Liam Broady outlasted world No. 4 Casper Ruud in five sets for a career-best win.

Broady had to fight back from two sets to one down but – carried by a buoyant Centre Court crowd – clinched a famous 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory.

Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini also recovered from a slow start to beat fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3. He next meets Australian 15th seed Alex de Minaur, who powered past Belgian qualifier Kimmer Coppejans 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).

Germany’s Alexander Zverev fired 20 aces past Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer to also move into the Wimbledon second round with a hard-earned 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) win.

He next plays another lower-ranked player in Japan’s world No. 116 Yosuke Watanuki. AFP, REUTERS