2011 Australian Open: Stanislas Wawrinka and Fernando Verdasco make it through to round four
Winning his eighth straight match of the year, Swiss number two Stanislas Wawrinka made it through to the next round at Melbourne Park on Friday after doing away with Frenchman
fitness icon, Gael “Lamonf” Monfils.
Coming from a final run at the Aircel Chennai Open last week where he defeated Xavier Malisse to clinch his third ATP Tour title two weeks ago, Wawrinka came in full swing
to make it as far as possible at the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam event.
Having debuted in 2006, Wawrinka passed his previous career best at the event in the sixth year after making it to the fourth round of the event.
Seeded nineteenth in the event, Wawrinka had moved into the third round after defeating Teymuraz Gabashvili and qualifier Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets. Maintaining his
no set loss record, Wawrinka was able to defeat Monfils in about two hours and thirty minutes, securing another straight sets win over the Frenchman. Although the Swiss met with some resistance in the first set he was quick to downsize the French to ensure
smooth sailing in the second and third set.
Opening serve, Wawrinka won the first game. However, Lamonf was close at his heels. Allowing neither to break serve, the pair continued to win games on their service pushing
the set into a tiebreaker. Entering the tiebreaker, the hard hitting French rushed into a 4-2 lead. However, this was as far as Wawrinka would allow Lamonf to go. Holding him at 4 points, Wawrinka secured five straight points, two of which were excellent aces.
Winning the tiebreaker 7-4, Wawrinka quashed any more resistance from the Frenchman.
Breaking serve thrice in the second and twice in the third set, Wawrinka was able to secure a 6-2, 6-3 win totalling his career win loss mark at the event to 11-5.
This was the pair’s fourth meeting on the court. With Monfils previously leading the head to head score 2-1, Wawrinka was able to level the score. The pair’s last meeting
had come at the Valencia Open 500 in 2010 where the Frenchman had removed the Swiss with much ease. Kudos to the Swiss for returning the favour!
As the Frenchman exits the event, he received some “consolation” as he was voted the best dressed player in the event this year by a popular website. Imagine that, being
on the same list as Serena Williams.
Joining Wawrinka in the next round was the Spaniard marvel, Fernando Verdasco. Coming into the third round, Verdasco was pitted against the rising Japanese star, Kei Nishikori.
This is the very same Nishikori who has now upset former world number nine, Marin Cilic twice in the span of only six months. Therefore, it would not have come as much surprise if Nishikori would have upset ninth seeded Verdasco.
However, reeling back from his five set win over Janko Tipsarevic, Verdasco was in full form against the Japanese defeating him with a loss of only nine games.
The 27 year old Spaniard was in full form for his third round match and without allowing much leeway to Nishikori, prevailed 6-2, 6-4, 6-3. In a match that lasted almost
two hours, Verdasco hit 36 winners to Nishikori’s 15 and managed to convert 6 of 10 breakpoints to secure his straight sets win.
Winning the match, Verdasco said, "I think that I started the match today very, very strong. I really wanted to start from the first point 100 per cent, like moving and
hitting the ball hard. I think that I did very good my game today, and I didn't let him play his game so much. So I'm happy of how I played today and to be here in fourth round again."
Moving ahead Verdasco will next play sixth seed Tomas Berdych while Wawrinka moves into the next round to play eighth seed Andy Roddick.
Tags: