Will once again be the focus of fan interest in Geneva, as at all other stops during his farewell season: Stan Wawrinka
Keystone
After a seven-year break, Stan Wawrinka returns to the Geneva Open in Geneva for a farewell performance. Where he won his last ATP tournament in 2017, he is now looking for form.
Many eyes will be on Stan Wawrinka next week at Geneva’s Parc des Eaux-Vives. The 41-year-old from Lausanne, who will be hanging up his racket at the end of the season, will be competing for the last time in French-speaking Switzerland. It seems rather unlikely that it will be more than one match.
For one thing, the three-time Grand Slam champion’s luck has not been kind to him. Wawrinka (ATP 125) will face the Chilean number 7 seed Alejandro Tabilo (ATP 35) in the first round.
Wawrinka the only Swiss player
Above all, however, the clay season so far has been anything but as hoped. After a good start with the United Cup and reaching the 3rd round at the Australian Open, he lost four times in a row in the 1st round on clay. He finally won a match again in the qualifiers in Rome, but then had to declare a forfeit last week before the second round.
Wawrinka is now hoping to recharge his batteries before his final appearance at the French Open. Thanks to a wild card, he is the only Swiss player in the main draw of the Geneva Open. The young Genevan Kilian Feldbausch (ATP 355) could still join him via the qualifiers.
Question marks Ruud and Fritz
The top favorite is actually clear. Actually. Casper Ruud (ATP 23), champion in Geneva in 2021, 2022 and 2024, has recently returned to his best form after a difficult few months. The catch: how fresh is he after qualifying for the final in Rome, where he is still in action on Sunday, and how much energy does he want to invest in the week before Roland Garros?
The top seed is world number 7 Taylor Fritz. However, the American is anything but a clay specialist and recently missed two months through injury. Alexander Bublik (ATP 11), last year’s winner in Gstaad, could therefore become the laughing third. The main draw starts on Sunday.