French Open champion Stan Wawrinka has confirmed that he will start his 2016 season at the Chennai Open in India.
The world number 4 will be bidding to grab his third consecutive title at the tournament after triumphs in 2014 and 2015. He also claimed the title in 2011. Wawrinka will play in the tournament for the eighth time in his career and currently has a win-loss of 19-4 at the event. Speaking about returning to the tournament, Wawrinka described it as his ‘good luck charm’.
“Chennai Open is a great way to start the season, and I look forward to my eighth year at the tournament. The last two years have been extra special since I have gone on to win a Grand Slam each year after a winning start here in Chennai. So, Chennai has become like my good luck charm now“. Wawrinka said.
The Chennai Open is currently the only tournament that Wawrinka has won on multiple occasions in his career. He has two Grand Slam titles to his name, the 2014 Australian Open and 2015 French Open. This season the Swiss currently boost a win-loss of 42-13 and has won $4,674,124 in prize money. Apart from his triumphs in Roland Garros and Chennai in 2015. He also won the Rotterdam Open in February. He has reached the last four in three out of four Grand Slams this year. The only exception was Wimbledon, where he lost in the quarter-final to Richard Gasquet.
The 2016 edition of the Chennai Open will be the 20th anniversary of the tournament. It will start on January 4th and the full list of entries is yet to be confirmed. Besides Wawrinka, other past champions include Milos Raonic, Janko Tipsarevic, Carlos Moya and Marin Cilic.
Highlights of Stan Wawrinka winning the 2015 Chennai Open
Video via ATP World Tour