Stan Wawrinka beat Czech 3-year-old qualifier Radek Stepanek 6-2 6-3 6-4 in the Hisense Arena to get through to the third round at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
The 2014 Australian Open and 2015 Roland Garros champion took control of the match from the beginning. He got a double break in the fourth and in the eight games dropping just five points on serve. He hit 12 winners to 2 unforced errors to close out the first set with 6-2. Wawrinka broke serve once to win the second set with 6-3. In a tighter third set Wawrinka broke serve to take a 3-1 lead but Stepanek broke back with a half-volley in a very long sixth game to draw level to 3-all. Wawrinka broke again in the seventh game for 4-3 with a forehand down the line winner. The Lausanne player faced two break points in the next game but he fended them off with service winners.
Stepanek brought up another break point but Wawrinka saved it with a forehand winner. Wawrinka faced three more break points in the 10th game as Wawrinka was serving for the match but the Swiss player held his serve before sealing the win with a service winner. Despite today’s defeat Stepanek has still a 4-3 record in his head-to-head matches against Wawrinka.
Wawrinka hit 43 winners and converted five of his twelve break point chances.
Stepanek came through the qualifying round and became the oldest man to win a first-round match in Melbourne since 1978.
“I am happy with the way I am playing, It was a great atmosphere. The crowd here always supports me. It’s only the second round, so I need to rise and be ready for the next round. I had played him a few times already. Radek is a tough player. I was expecting a tough match”, said Wawrinka.
Wawrinka will take on Lukas Rosol who beat Jack Sock in three sets 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3. Wawrinka won his previous two head-to-head matches against Rosol in the Davis Cup in 2013 and Geneva in 2015. The Czech player withstood 50 winners from Sock and hit 43 of his own including 15 aces.
