Stan Wawrinka needed an hour and 37 minutes to put away Philipp Kohlschreiber and make his way into the third round of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Swiss takes first set
Stan Wawrinka and Philipp Kohlschreiber stepped onto Court Rainier II for their fourth career meeting as the Swiss led the German three wins to none. The match's early stage was quick into Kohlschreiber's liking as he broke to 15 to commence proceedings. But, like last year's triumph at Roland Garros, Wawrinka, wasted zero time to break back immediately to level the set at one game apiece. The five games to follow went in the way of the server as neither faced a break point.
The Swiss created opportunities in the eight game with divine clay court tennis as he led on-serve, 4-3. He hurried to a love-40 advantage and despite having held four break points in the eight game, the German clawed back for a level scoreboard at four games apiece. The holding trend remained as the next four games went routinely in the server's favor to force an opening set tiebreaker. The tiebreaker saw the Swiss number two deny the German of winning more than two points in the final stages of the opening set.
Wawrinka pulls out a tight match
The second set followed in the previous set’s footsteps as there was a break to embark the new set of tennis. The world number four consolidated to put himself within four games of the third round. But, Kohlschreiber fought to get the set to level terms as he was hungry to win his first set against the Swiss in eight years. The German then reeled off three straight comes to move from 3-1 down to eventually be 4-3 ahead.
The fourth seed, Wawrinka, quickly went down love-40 which put him in danger of trailing three games to five. But, relentless tennis vaulted him five straight points to maintain the set on-serve. The Swiss raced to a love-40 lead on his own in the following game, but he unable to close the game out despite holding five break chances.
Stan Wawrinka served to stay in the set as Kohlschreiber had the 5-4 lead. The 2014 champion went on to hold to love to keep his second set hopes alive. A break to love followed as the momentum clearly swayed into Wawrinka’s favor. The match was on the number four seed’s racquet as he served for the match. A Kohlschreiber backhand slumped into the net to result in a quality 7-6(2), 7-5 victory for the higher ranked competitor.
Wawrinka To Face Simon
Stan Wawrinka will have a difficult task at hand when he takes the court against Gilles Simon tomorrow. The third round matchup will mark as the pair’s sixth career meeting with the Swiss edging the Frenchman 3-2 in their head-to-head. The recent clay court form of Wawrinka and Simon’s extended rallies will make for an intriguing encounter.