Wawrinka outperforms Murray in highly-anticipated Grand Slam champions showdown

Sunday, 26 May 2024 at 22:55

Stan Wawrinka (No. 97) won the Grand Slam champions duel against Andy Murray (No. 75) with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, advancing to the second round of the French Open. The match tilted in Wawrinka's favor from the start, and the Swiss player maintained his confidence, steadily increasing his lead over his opponent.

It was a true celebration for the fans, with a spectacular and emotional duel between two Grand Slam champions. One of the great rivalries of the last 20 years between two players who have challenged the Big-3's supremacy. In 22 previous encounters, Murray led 13-9 (3-4 in Grand Slams).

Wawrinka took control of the match

The 2015 French Open champion quickly gained the upper hand by capitalizing on one of the three break points Murray conceded in his first service game. That single break was enough for the Swiss to take the set 6-4, in a match marked by cross-court backhands and Wawrinka's greater aggression.

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In the second set, Murray seemed to lose confidence in his serve, and a couple of unforced errors cost him a break in the third game. Although the Brit managed to avoid another break, he only had a 31% first serve success rate compared to Wawrinka's 59%. Like the first set, Wawrinka was able to maintain his advantage, increasingly confident with his service, closing the set at 6-4.

Wawrinka is the only player to beat Andy Murray in the first round of a Grand Slam without dropping a set (French Open 2020, 2024).

Unfortunately, the 2-time Wimbledon champion's spirits declined as the match progressed. Murray appeared somewhat physically limited in his returns, and for several of Wawrinka's serves, he didn't even move, though the Swiss player also deserved credit for his powerful serves.

The third set was a mere formality for 'Stan the Man,' who had already taken control of the match. He secured two consecutive breaks in the third set, quickly taking a 4-0 lead in just over 20 minutes. Wawrinka eventually triumphed with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory and will play in the second round against the winner of the match between Cameron Norrie (No. 33) and Pavel Kotov (No. 57).