Stan Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, showed glimpses of his prime on Friday as he defeated top seed Andrey Rublev to advance to the Stockholm semifinals. At 39 years old and ranked 217th in the world, Wawrinka secured his first victory over a top-10 player this year by edging out seventh-ranked Rublev in two tiebreak sets, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5). The veteran Swiss player will face fourth-seeded American Tommy Paul next, who claimed a 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 win over Miomir Kecmanovic.
Despite his age, Wawrinka remains motivated, expressing his desire to keep competing and enjoying the game. Reflecting on his performance, he acknowledged the energy he receives from the crowd and the importance of maintaining focus. With 14 aces in the match, Wawrinka capitalized on his first match point to reach the Stockholm semifinals for the first time in his career. He is now aiming for his 17th ATP title and his first since winning the Geneva Open in 2017.
Wawrinka’s illustrious career includes victories at the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the US Open in 2016. His victory over Rublev, however, was a significant setback for the Russian, who is battling for a spot in the ATP Finals. Rublev currently sits eighth in the race to qualify but faces pressure from players like Paul, who are still competing this week.
In other Stockholm action, world number 37 Tallon Griekspoor upset second-seeded Casper Ruud, winning 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) with the help of 13 aces. Griekspoor, who saved all three break points he faced, now has three career wins over top 10 players. He also became the first Dutch player to reach the Stockholm semifinals since Sjeng Schalken won the tournament in 2001. Griekspoor will meet either Dominic Stricker or Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals.
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