Wawrinka Overcomes Slow Start, Outlasts Klizan

If Stan Wawrinka was looking for a confidence booster, he definitely got one on Thursday.

The Swiss, still on the road to recovery, overcame a shaky start to outlast Martin Klizan 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 at the Diema Xtra Sofia Open. 

Klizan pressed the action early and claimed the first set in 37 minutes, but Wawrinka settled down and battled back, managing to break Klizan in the fourth game of the second set. His confidence restored, Wawrinka broke again at 5-2 to close out the set.

“I expected a tough match; he’s already played a few matches here,” Wawrinka said of Klizan, who qualified for the event. “I just tried to focus on my game, find the right shots and be aggressive.”

The top-seeded Wawrinka was playing in his first match since a second-round loss at the Australian Open last month, and just his third match since Wimbledon last year (knee injury). Wawrinka will face Viktor Troicki in the next round. Troicki, a finalist in Sofia in 2016, was also pushed to three sets before overcoming Denis Istomin, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(5). 

“I know Viktor is playing really well here and I’m expecting a tough match; I’m going to try and rest now to be ready for tomorrow,” Wawrinka said.