Stan Wawrinka scored his first ATP win of the season at the ATP 250 event in Bucharest. The veteran ousted Timofey Skatov 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 in three hours and 18 minutes for his first ATP success since October last year.
The Swiss prevailed after a gigantic battle and became the third 40-year-old player with a clay-court ATP win since 1980! Stan joined Jimmy Connors and Ivo Karlovic on the exclusive list and notched the 22nd season with at least one ATP triumph.
They could have avoided a marathon as Wawrinka led 6-4, 4-1! Skatov erased the deficit and denied three match points on serve in the 12th game before prevailing in the tie break. Timofey led 3-0 in the decider and served for the win at 5-3.
Stan pulled the break back at love in game nine and dominated the tie break to emerge at the top and enter the record books. The veteran claimed two points more than his rival. Wawrinka denied 11 of 15 break points and seized five of 16 opportunities on the return.
The Swiss attacked and fired 51 winners and 70 unforced errors. He forged a 27-16 lead in service winners, and Skatoverased the deficit from the baseline and at the net. Stan saved three break points in the first game of the match.
However, Timofey landed a volley winner in the third game to earn a break at love and move in front. The veteran attacked on the return in the sixth game and caused the rival's mistake to pull the break back and lock the result at 3-3.
The Kazakh served to stay in the set at 4-5 and missed his chances to extend the battle. Wawrinka earned four set points and seized the last after the rival's loose backhand, wrapping up the first part of the duel 6-4 in 51 minutes.
Stan broke in the second game of the second set and forged a 4-1 advantage, moving closer to the finish line. However, they would still battle for nearly two hours after that! Skatov pulled the break back in the seventh game, and they served well in the next four.
The Kazakh needed another fine hold at 5-6 to remain in contention. However, the Swiss created three match points after two lucky net cords in a single point. Timofey kept his composure and denied them, holding and introducing a tie break.
Stan erased a 5-3 deficit and moved two points away from the finish line. However, he missed a forehand at 5-5 and sprayeda backhand error after an extended rally, allowing his rival to take the set 7-6 and forced a decider aftertwo hours and 14 minutes.
Timofey gained a boost and seized the fifth break chance in the second game of the final set. Heheld at love for 3-0 before Wawrinka pulled the break back with a booming forehand down the line winner in game five, returning to the positive side.
Skatov grabbed a break at love in game eight after the rival's loose forehand, moving 5-3 up and serving for the win. Stan stayed focused and painted a forehand winner for a break at love and more drama. The set went into a tie break, and the more experienced player had the edge.
Wawrinka claimed all four points on serve and provided three mini-breaks. He landed a backhand winner for 5-1 and generated five match points after drawing the rival's mistake. The 40-year-old cracked a backhand down the line winner on the first match point, sealing the deal and writing history.
