When Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka first met on the court, two hopeful young men were eager to establish themselves in their sport but still unsure of what would happen next. Nineteen years later, with six Grand Slam titles between them, they gather again at Stade Philippe Chatrier as icons in the final stages of their careers.
Now aged 37 and 39, their 23rd match is the second oldest match at Roland Garros in the past 50 years. This time, Wawrinka won a well-deserved victory with his disciplined and destructive hitting. He completely overwhelmed the powerless Murray, swept his old opponent 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 and entered the French Open No. 1. Second round.
“I hope I can do a little better,” Murray said. “It’s disappointing, but I didn’t have high expectations, you know, the preparations have started. But obviously I was hoping to do better tonight.”
While Murray’s struggles have been well documented, this year has been even tougher for Wawrinka, who arrives in Paris in 2024 with two ATP wins under his belt. Hit the ball with total freedom. He was determined to force himself to take the initiative, open up the court and attack. Wawrinka also served very well at critical moments, controlling unforced errors.
As has been the case for much of the year, Murray was too underpowered against such heavy offensive hits, and his mobility was noticeably diminished. His performance was also poor, especially in the decisive moments at the end of the first two sets.
At the end of another meeting – perhaps the last – the two champions shared a long, warm hug before a tirade. “It’s certainly exciting,” Wawrinka said. “We are close to the end, we have played many games in the past 20 years. There are many feelings.
For Murray, who is unlikely to compete beyond this summer, the defeat could mean the end of a chapter in what will be his final singles match at Roland Garros. Despite his obvious frustration, Murray paused at the entrance to the stadium to salute the crowd from all corners.
Murray has lost three of four matches on clay this season since returning from an ankle injury. He will now head to the grass court season to find better form on his favorite surface before time runs out.
“My body is not what it was 10 years ago,” Murray said. “I’m totally aware of that. It takes a lot of time and effort to be able to get out there and compete. It’s not always perfect. But it is what it is and I still like to try and try to get myself out there and do the best I can. May remain competitive.
Jack Draper suffered a shock first-round defeat earlier on Sunday, losing 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(3), 3-6, 6-3 It was the longest match ever played against Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands.
After trailing two sets and a break, Draper fought back to force a fifth set in a rain-delayed match, but his nervous and cautious play at crucial moments contrasted sharply with De Jong’s decisiveness.
After 4 hours and 6 minutes of playing, Draper, ranked 176th in the world, finally advanced to the second round.
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“I’ve been trying to do different things in practice, like I’m trying to change my game a little bit,” Draper said. “So I feel like now especially on the court, a lot of things are a little bit different for me, especially in high-pressure situations. I try to look at tennis in a different way, I’m not quite used to playing on the court and doing certain things. things, but I’m trying to do these things and it’s uncomfortable for me.
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said Alexander Zverev could compete at Roland Garros as long as no decision was reached in a public trial. Zverev’s trial for allegedly physically abusing former partner Brenda Patea is set to begin on Friday during the tournament in Berlin. Zverev has always denied the accusations.
“Our policy so far is that as long as the trial is not over and a decision has not been made, he is presumed innocent, so that’s why he was allowed to participate in the draw,” Mauresmo said.
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Mauresmo also revealed that the French Open originally planned to hold a farewell ceremony for Rafael Nadal, but the 14-time champion said he did not want to hold a farewell ceremony as his future is still unclear.
“As you can imagine, we had something planned for him, but he actually told us before yesterday – because he didn’t know if it would be his last Roland Garros,” Mauresmo said. “He wants the door open for him to come back as a player next year. So we’re not going to force him to do anything.
