Cincinnati [US], August 17 : The former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka dubbed his victory against Frances Tiafoe in the second round at the 2023 Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati his "best match" of 2023, and said that he was pleased with his mobility on the court, serve, and battling attitude.
The Swiss wild card overpowered from the baseline in a 6-3, 6-4 triumph against the 10th-seeded American, clinching an emphatic upset in a match that lasted for one hour and 18 minutes.
The former World No. 3 aims to maintain his excellent form and advance further in the event.
"It's been probably the best match of the season, I think, the most complete match. I was feeling good, moving well, serving well, being aggressive, staying with him, fighting. I'm super happy and hopefully, I can keep playing that well," Wawrinka said in a post-match presentation.
Fans went to Grandstand on Wednesday evening to see Wawrinka play some of his greatest tennis against 10th seed Tiafoe in the final men's match. Some people stood in nearby staircases to gain a sight of the action because the gathering was so dense.
“I think it's a bit of both. In tennis, it's a big puzzle. You have the fitness side, you have the tennis side, you have the mental side too and everything has to be together. You have to push yourself every day to improve," Wawrinka said.
“I've been pushing myself to keep trying to improve and I'm finally playing better, winning matches and hopefully I can keep going. It's amazing. That's one of the main reasons why I keep playing. It's always special. Yesterday night there were a lot of people at the match and also it's great for me, I'm super happy with that," Wawrinka added.
Next up for Wawrinka is a meeting with wild card Purcell on Thursday. The Aussie was a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 winner against fifth seed Casper Ruud earlier on Wednesday.
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