Stan Wawrinka turned 40 on Friday while competing at the Naples Challenger. The three-time Major champion is currently ranked 168th, but he has showna clear desire to extend his career and enjoy for a few more years.
Stan is only the second 40-year-old on the ATP ranking list, standing behind Ryan Haviland who has collected only two ATP points in the previous 12 months. Wawrinka earned two wins in Naples, ending Borna Coric's 16-match winning streak in the second round.
However, the veteran could not celebrate another win on his birthday, suffering a 6-3, 6-4 loss in an hour and 18 minutes to the top seed, Luciano Darderi.
Both players struggled to find the first serve, and the Italian drew the most from that. Darderi played against only two break points and gave serve away once. The home player took 45% of the return points and turned them into three breaks from six opportunities.
Luciano held at 15 in the first game of the duel and moved 2-1 in front after the veteran's loose backhand. Stan missed a routine forehand in the fourth game and offered his rival a break chance. Luciano played rock-solid tennis from the baseline and welcomed another error from his opponent for a break and a 3-1 lead.
Wawrinka lost the rhythm and faced three break points in the sixth game. The three-time Major champion denied them and held with a powerful serve to remain within one break deficit. Darderiheld for 5-2 and served for the opener at 5-3.
The Italian missed a set point and offered his rival a break chance after a double fault. The top seed denied it with a forehand down the line winner and converted the second set point with a crafty volley winner at the net for 6-3 in 36 minutes.
They served well in the opening four games of the second set. Stan sprayed a massive forehand error in the fifth game and faced two break points. The Swiss placed another forehand wide, losing serve and falling 3-2 behind.
Wawrinka cracked a forehand crosscourt winner in the sixth game and created a break chance. Luciano missed a drop shot and allowed his rival to pull the break back and lock the result at 3-3. Darderi extended the seventh game and secured a break with a forehand winner.
The Italian cemented it with a drop shot winner in game eight, moving 5-3 in front and closer to the finish line. Stan cracked a powerful forehand down the line winner in the ninth game for a hold, reducing the gap to 5-4.
Luciano served for the win in game ten and drew Stan's mistake, holding at 30 and moving over the top.
