LONDON: Former champion Sam Querrey continued his love affair at The Queen’s Club with a 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-1, win over three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka at The Fever-Tree Championships.
Playing in the tournament for the 11th consecutive year, the 30-year-old withstood the threat posed by his rival. Fighting off seven set points to extend his opponents misery on the grass. Wawrinka hasn’t won back-to-back matches on the surface since the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. In total Querrey hit 39 winners to 30 unforced errors and saved 12 out of 13 break points he faced to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
“That (the third set) was the best for me out of those three.” Querrey told the BBC.
“It is a pain to have Stan and Andy (Murray) unseeded. It’s great they are back, but you have to play them early. So it’s tough for the rest of us.”
During a roller coaster opening set both players saw opportunities come and go. At first it was fifth seed Querrey that started the strongest as he broke in the third game of the match. The lead was short-lived as Wawrinka battled back to draw level with the help of an error-stricken service game from the American. The Swiss player kept pressing to clinch the first, but continued to come up short. Leading 5-4, Wawrinka failed to convert seven set points during marathon game.
Those missed chances frazzled Wawrinka as he lost rhythm in his shot-making. Enabling Querrey to pounce once again to move ahead 6-5. Unlike his rival, he was able to capitalize on his opportunities after a Wawrinka forehand error gifted him a 7-5 lead.
The little disparity between the two players continued throughout the match with neither managing to find a breakthrough. For Wawrinka the second set was a case of deja vu as two break points for a 5-3 lead in his favor came and went. It wasn’t until the 91st minute of the match that perseverance paid off for Wawrinka. Grabbing the early lead in the tiebreaker, he finally converted his chances with a passing shot to force the match into a decider. Reviving his hopes in the tournament.
Despite the promise of a Wawrinka turnaround, it never amounted to anything. Frustration soon got the better of him after an unforced error in the decider gifted the fifth seed a break for 3-1. Prompting a livid Wawrinka to smash his racket on the court. Leaving a dent in the ground and a likely fine for him in the near future. From then on, the match was a foregone conclusion as Querrey cruised towards the finish line. Sealing victory with the help of an ace down the center of the court.
“I feel like on grass courts you get better every year.” Said the 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist. “The past couple of years have been my best on grass and I hope to keep that trend going.”
Querrey will play either Marin Cilic or Gilles Muller in the next round.
