Becker sends a declaration of love to Wawrinka

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The man even goes one step further after training. A video is currently circulating on Twitter showing Stan Wawrinka (38) and his coach Magnus Norman (46) coming off a clay court in no time at the Challenger tournament in Bordeaux. The three-time Grand Slam champion is not bad for anything: it is in any case the quality that characterizes the Romand as a tennis player, but which is still attributed to him with increasing age.

Together with Andy Murray (36), who like him has had long injury breaks, Wawrinka is a role model for the younger generation on the tour, says Eurosport pundit Boris Becker. Compared to many youngsters, the two would still stand out: “There are a lot of matches where I wonder why the youngsters are playing at all. I don’t see that passion, that ability to suffer – you can’t say that about a Wawrinka or a Murray.”

Many old stars in Bordeaux

Becker praises that the French-speaking Swiss would always “leave his soul on the pitch”. Wawrinka proved that again this season – including in the five-set at the Australian Open in January, which he only lost to Slovakian Alex Molcan (25) after four and a half hours. Or with another eight sets of three, in which he fights back again and again.

Now Wawrinka wants to get more match practice ahead of the French Open after his second round in Rome. He is part of a remarkably strong field in Bordeaux – with the likes of Murray, Dominic Thiem (29), Benoit Paire (34) and Madrid finalist Jan-Lennard Struff (33).

Yes, even Rafael Nadal (36) tried to reel in busy tournament director Jean-Baptiste Perlant (46) with a wildcard. However, a rejection came from the camp of the 22-time Grand Slam winner, who has not played a single match since January due to a hip injury. Becker tells Nadal: “We are all concerned. I hope he is in Paris. And I also hope it won’t be his last tournament.”

Fighter Nadal is always to be expected. Just like with Wawrinka.

Source : Blick