Wawrinka fights back to beat Dimitrov at Wimbledon

Stan Wawrinka versus Grigor Dimitrov was a blockbuster first-round match at this year’s Wimbledon championships that seemed an obvious selection for Centre Court billing.

But that had more to do with their reputations rather than their current form.

Wawrinka, continuing to struggle in his comeback from knee surgery, had not won back-to-back matches since February. His win-loss record in 2018 was an anaemic 6-9.

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His most recent outing on grass was a 6-1 6-3 pummelling at the hands of Andy Murray in the first round at Eastbourne. Murray would later go on to pull out of Wimbledon.

And when Wawrinka slumped to a 6-1 first-set loss against Dimitrov on Monday, many began to wonder if he would ever recapture the form that won him three Grand Slam singles titles in the past four years.

Thankfully, Wawrinka was playing Dimitrov, a player not exactly brimming with confidence himself. And when the Bulgarian blinked, Stan got a sniff.

A textbook backhand down-the-line winner hands @stanwawrinka a two sets to one lead against Grigor Dimitrov ????

Cue the celebrations… #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ML2I0zYkSO

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2018

Currently ranked 224th, Wawrinka roared back to win 1-6 7-6(3) 7-6(5) 6-4, just his second Grand Slam match victory in the past year.

“I had to put myself together again, to try to fight, try to find solution (after that first set),” he reflected.

“I also knew before the match that it’s tough for Grigor to play against me in the first round, especially he’s also looking for confidence, he didn’t win so many big match recently. I was trying to stay with him, try to find my rhythm, try to make it tougher for him, try to make him think a bit more.”

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He certainly did. Dimitrov was unable to maintain his vice-like grip on the match; after dropping the second set the sixth seed built a 5-2 lead in the third, only for it to evaporate.

With Wawrinka beginning to find the range on his magnificent one-handed backhand, suddenly Dimitrov found himself down two-sets-to-one instead of up by the same margin.

Pretty good day at the office… ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/qsJyDpiKKk

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) July 2, 2018

With games going on serve in the fourth, Dimitrov finally cracked in the 10th game, handing Wawrinka a break, and the match.

“Maybe I can’t deal with the pressure right now and I want too much from myself,” Dimitrov lamented.

“We need to obviously keep on working the same way, but also find why am I playing like this right now. When I put myself in those positions, I’m not converting them, simple as that.

“When it came to the clutch moments, he seized those moments. He served big when he had to, hit the big shots when he had to. Yeah, that made a difference. The score itself speaks for itself.”

Just over six months ago, Dimitrov was flying. He’d won the biggest title of his career at the ATP Finals in November and finished the 2017 season at a best-ever No.3. Earlier that year he’d reached the Australian Open semifinals and won his first ATP Masters title in Cincinnati.

But much like the year 2015, which followed a brilliant 2014 highlighted by his first Grand Slam semifinal and top-10 debut, Dimitrov has slumped after a previous season full of milestones and promise.

Wawrinka was also once a world No.3.

It’s a long way back to that perch; thanks to his victory over Dimitrov, he’s projected to return to the top 200, at No.194. Next up is Italian qualifier Thomas Fabbiano, who beat Yuki Bhambri in the opening round.

The perfect start…

Defending #Wimbledon champion @RogerFederer cruises through to the second round with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Dusan Lajovic pic.twitter.com/DWpWBYowXf

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2018

“Today I won a great match, but that’s not just what I want. I want more,” Wawrinka said.

“Maybe it’s going to come this week, maybe not. I will keep working how to get little by little more wins.

“It’s different (being unseeded), for sure. You can play a guy like Grigor in the first round. That’s directly a big match. To be out of the radar, it’s not neither what you want. When I was No.3 in the world, No.4 in the world, I was happy. I was playing well. I was going fine, big tournaments.

“That’s what I want to do again. But I will see how far I can go in the next few years, and I will give everything to be back at my top.”

New-look Federer makes serene start

Eight-time champion Roger Federer needed just one hour and 19 minutes to beat Dusan Lajovic 6-1 6-3 6-4 in the opening match on Centre Court.

The 36-year-old Swiss was in regal form, with his appearance in an outfit by new kit sponsors the closest we came to drama in a one-sided contest.

Croatia’s Borna Coric, 16th seed and the man who beat Federer in the recent Halle final, suffered a surprise 7-6(6) 6-2 6-2 loss to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev.

Third seed Marin Cilic, last year’s runner-up and seen by many as the biggest threat in Federer’s half of the draw, powered past Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 6-1 6-4 6-4.

There were also wins for ninth seed John Isner, 11th seed Sam Querrey and 13th seed Milos Raonic, while Gael Monfils won the all-French contest against Richard Gasquet 7-6(6) 7-5 6-4.