Three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka has confirmed that he has started a collaboration with Danni Valluvedu.
The partnership was confirmed by the 34-year-old on social media and is set to last throughout the grass-court season. Vallverdu is a former Venezuelan player who has worked with some of the biggest names in men’s tennis. A year younger than Wawrinka, he has previously coached Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and most recently Grigor Dimitrov.
I am pleased to announce that I will collaborate with @danielvallverdu for the up and coming grass court season.He will be an addition to my team @normansweden #yannick and I’m really excited to learn from his extensive experience and knowledge in the world of tennis !!
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) 10 June 2019
This week Wawrinka returned back into the world’s top 20 for the first time since March 2018. He managed to do so following a solid run at the French Open where he reached the quarter-finals. His best performance at a major in two years. At the tournament he scored wins over Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas, before losing to compatriot Roger Federer.
“In general the tournament was great for me. I played really good since the beginning of the tournament, won some big matches, especially against [Cristian] Garin, played super-well against [Grigor] Dimitrov, a tough match over two days, followed by [Stefanos] Tsitsipas, who is really confident, playing well this year. [It was a] big battle, five hours,” Wawrinka reflected on his run at Roland Garros. “I was super happy also to be ready physically after all that time on the court. Today to give another big battle against Roger was a tough, tough one for sure. But I think in general it was a good battle, a great battle.”
Pulling out of this week’s Stuttgart Open due to fatigue, Wawrinka’s first test on the grass will be at the Fever-Tree Championships in London. He is yet to win an ATP title on the surface and has only reached one final before. Doing so at the 2013 Rosmalen Championships. Wawrinka hasn’t won back-to-back matches on the grass since Wimbledon 2015.
The Fever-Tree Championships will get underway on Monday.
Wawrinka’s 2019 season so far
French Open – QF
Geneva – R2
Rome – R1
Madrid – QF
Monte Carlo – R2
Miami – R2
Indian Wells – R3
Acapulco – QF
Rotterdam – Runner-up
Sofia – R1
Australian Open – R2
Doha – QF
