Stan the man !!

Always a pleasure to see Wawrinka again, but where’s he at?

While everyone was in Asia, Stan decided to play Challengers and it worked out pretty well for him! A title in Rennes, a semi in Cancun, and a retirement in the semis in St-Tropez. An injury that didn’t stop him from heading to Shanghai afterward to put up a great fight against Marozsan! That’s often the case with Wawrinka—no matter his current form, he’s always capable of landing big shots here and there. What worries me is that since Shanghai he hasn’t played at all—is he still a bit injured or just managing things after several intense weeks? I’m less worried than with some players who try to play through injuries; Stan is reassuring on that front. Fast indoor conditions are good for him, the court speed helps him pick up points in short patterns; last year he had a nice indoor swing. For Kecmanovic the period is much more complicated; he’s searching for a last gasp at the end of the season and I don’t like what I’m seeing from him, both in terms of attitude and his game. Against Etcheverry it was bad from both sides, the level was low, and I insist on Kecma’s attitude, which I didn’t like. Indoors isn’t easy for him either; his weak movement puts him at a big disadvantage, and even if his ball striking does some damage, the ratio just isn’t good enough. If Stan isn’t injured, then he’s got a real shot here given his profile and the speed of the courts.