Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka suggested that not making a deep Grand Slam run is his new reality and he has to face it and accept it. On Monday, former world No. 3 Wawrinka exited the French Open in the first round.
Corentin Moutet, a French player who was awarded a wildcard into the French Open, defeated Wawrinka in four sets 2-6 6-3 7-6 (2) 6-3. Wawrinka, who underwent two foot surgeries last year, made his long-awaited comeback in late March.
Wawrinka is 2-4 since returning and he is far from the game and form that was once making him a Grand Slam title contender. “Obviously it’s a great disappointment to lose in a Grand Slam, but it’s the reality of my life now,” Wawrinka said after the French Open exit, per Tennis Now.
Stan Wawrinka: “Obviously it’s a great disappointment to lose in a Grand Slam, but it’s the reality of my life now.” — TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) May 23, 2022
Wawrinka started well but ended up losing in four sets to Moutet
Wawrinka got off to a fast start to the match as he broke Moutet in the fourth and eighth games to pretty easily win the first set.
After losing the first set, Moutet bounced back at the start of the second set by claiming his first break of the match in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. When Wawrinka was serving to stay in the second set in the ninth game, Moutet earned his second break to tie the match to one set apiece.
Moutet appeared to be cruising toward easily winning the third set but at 5-2 in the third set he blew two consecutive set points on Wawrinka’s serve. In the ninth game, Moutet got broken back when serving for the third set and the set eventually went into a tie-break.
Luckily for Moutet, he managed to put behind his blown chances as he dominated the tie-break go to up by two sets to one. After going up by two sets to one, Moutet broke Wawrinka in the fifth and ninth games of the fourth set to complete a four-set win.
