Wawrinka advances past Isner to reach 4th round in Australia

Wawrinka advanced into the 4th round after Isner retired due to injury in Melbourne

It took only a little over one hour for Stan Wawrinka to book his place in the 4th round. His opponent felt discomfort during play throughout the match which forced him to retire late in the 2nd set. At that time he was down 0-1 in sets and 1-4 in games.

Isner started the match off well serving nicely and winning his games without issues. It was Stan who struggled early even allowing several break points early on. He managed to save them but he didn't look comfortable on the court. The momentum shifted in the 5th game when Isner played a terrible game which he lost. The remainders of the set passed by quickly as neither player dropped many points their serve. It was 6-4 to Wawrinka.

It became apparent early in the 2nd set that Isner was not doing well. His serve plummeted, his movement slowed down and he couldn't set his feet in time for his groundstrokes. He struggled immensely winning only one and surrendering two service games before calling it quits.

It's a shame injury prevent John from performing at the highest level as he would have had chances in this match. Wawrinka, on the other hand, was lucky to get off the court quickly. In the previous round, he spent almost 4 hours on the court vs Seppi. He will cherish this opportunity for added rest which he desperately needs.

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